Health · Damascus

Damascus, VA health

Damascus differs from Virginia on 15 of 40 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (81% vs 76.8%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (11% vs 6.2%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Damascus
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 772 people are less certain, so we show Damascus's figures without a grade.

Report card

How Damascus compares with Virginia

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Damascus adults…

43 of every 100 Damascus adults have high blood pressure
Virginia: 35 in 100 · worse · margin 38–47.2%

Bars show Damascus; the black tick is Virginia. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Damascus, betterDamascus, worseToo close to callVirginia
Get no exerciseshare of adults 30.6% Damascus
VA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 34.7% Damascus
VA 36%
Binge drinkshare of adults 12.8% Damascus
VA 14.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 18% Damascus
VA 12.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Damascus adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.

81%
Yearly checkup
VA 79%
66%
Dentist visit
VA 68%
88%
Cholesterol check
VA 88%
69%
Colon screening
VA 67%
79%
Mammogram
VA 79%
81%
Taking BP meds
VA 77%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Damascus 8.7% · Virginia 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection

How Damascus adults are doing

1 in 3Damascus adults feel lonely
33.9% · Virginia 33.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Damascus adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.9% · Virginia 21.8% · worse
1 in 5Damascus adults lack social or emotional support
21% · Virginia 21.6% · too close to call
1 in 6Damascus adults are in frequent mental distress
17.9% · Virginia 15.9% · too close to call
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 7
Damascus adults worry about having enough food
14.2% · VA 13.1% · about the same
1 in 10
Damascus adults worry about keeping their housing
10.2% · VA 10.9% · about the same
1 in 14
Damascus adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.1% · VA 7.1% · about the same
1 in 13
Damascus adults lack reliable transportation
7.9% · VA 7.4% · about the same

13.7% of Damascus adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.

Disability

Living with a disability

37.8%

of Damascus adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs19.5%
Thinking or memory17.2%
Hearing9.6%
Errands alone10.7%
Vision6.1%
Dressing or bathing5.1%

Black tick: Virginia. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Damascus

1 community health center in Damascus, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERJohnston Memorial HospitalAbingdon · 9.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMountain Home VA Medical Center★★★★★ · 12.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSt. Charles Health CouncilDamascus · 0.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.1 mi
St. Charles Health Council
2 sites · nearest in Damascus
Sliding-scale feesIn Damascus
Directions to nearest
9.3 mi
Johnston Memorial Hospital
Abingdon · ★★★★★
ER
9.7 mi
Southwest Virginia Community Health
3 sites · nearest in Meadowview
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
≈12.4 mi
Mountain Home VA Medical Center
Mountain Home · ★★★★★
ERVA
12.6 mi
Johnson County Community Hospital
Mountain City · not rated
ERRural critical access
17.9 mi
Wellmont Bristol Regional Medical Center
Bristol · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careDamascus's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Washington County/Bristol City · need score 14 of 25
! Dental careDamascus's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Washington County/Bristol City · need score 13 of 25
! Mental healthDamascus's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Highlands Service Area · need score 15 of 25

Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Damascus. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Damascus
MeasureDamascusMarginVirginia
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure42.5%38–47.2%35.4%worse
High cholesterol43.9%39.2–48.5%38%worse
Obesity40.6%32.9–48.6%34.5%about the same
Arthritis35.3%31.4–39.4%26.2%worse
Depression25.9%22.1–30%21.8%worse
Lost all teeth (65+)14.8%12.1–18%11.1%worse
Asthma11.6%10.2–13.2%10.4%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10.7%9.5–11.9%7.7%worse
Diabetes15.7%13.3–18.2%12.5%worse
COPD11%8.9–13.4%6.2%worse
Heart disease9.2%7.9–10.6%6.1%worse
Stroke4.7%4–5.4%3.3%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes18%14.4–22%12.2%worse
Binge drink12.8%10.4–15.5%14.5%about the same
Get no exercise30.6%25.1–36.4%23.8%worse
Sleep under 7 hours34.7%29–40.9%36%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup80.6%77.2–83.8%79.2%about the same
Dentist visit65.8%62.3–69.2%67.9%about the same
Cholesterol check87.7%85.5–89.7%87.5%about the same
Colon screening68.8%63.9–73.3%67.4%about the same
Mammogram78.7%71.8–84.5%78.6%about the same
Taking BP meds81%77.8–83.6%76.8%better
No health insurance8.7%6.4–11.4%8.7%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.9%28.6–39.7%33.8%about the same
Lack emotional support21%17.3–25.2%21.6%about the same
Frequent mental distress17.9%15.5–20.3%15.9%about the same
Fair or poor health23.5%19.4–28.2%18.1%worse
Frequent physical distress17.6%15–20.5%12.8%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity14.2%10.6–17.8%13.1%about the same
Housing insecurity10.2%8–12.6%10.9%about the same
Utility shut-off threat7.1%5.7–8.5%7.1%about the same
No reliable transportation7.9%6.4–9.5%7.4%about the same
Receive SNAP13.7%10–17.4%10.7%
Disability
Any disability37.8%32.4–43.3%30%
Walking or climbing stairs19.5%16.2–23.2%13.5%
Thinking or memory17.2%14.3–20.2%14%
Hearing9.6%8.2–11%6.4%
Vision6.1%5.1–7.3%4.7%
Dressing or bathing5.1%4.1–6.2%3.5%
Errands alone10.7%8.8–12.7%7.7%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Damascus door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Virginia figure falls inside it, we don't call Damascus better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Damascus directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Virginia figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01