Health · Narrows

Narrows, VA health

Narrows differs from Virginia on 11 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (15.1% vs 11.1%) and more adults with COPD (8.4% vs 6.2%).

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

Narrows’s Health Grade: C+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Narrows is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns, and than 57% of towns with similar incomes.

B-Self-rated healthC+Physical distressCMental distressB-ObesityC+DiabetesCSmokingB-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 39%
Less healthyHealthier
Virginia towns we grade (374)Healthier than 34%
Towns with similar incomes, $47K–$78K (8,713)Healthier than 57%

Better than its income would suggest. Narrows is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C+.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Narrows could be anywhere from D to B+.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Virginia ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Narrows with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Narrows uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Narrows 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 Narrows adults…

37 of every 100 Narrows adults have high blood pressure
Virginia: 35 in 100 · too close to call · margin 33.3–41.5%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Narrows, betterNarrows, worseToo close to callVirginia
Get no exerciseshare of adults 26.3% Narrows
VA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 35.3% Narrows
VA 36%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.7% Narrows
VA 14.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 16.2% Narrows
VA 12.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

77%
Yearly checkup
VA 79%
62%
Dentist visit
VA 68%
86%
Cholesterol check
VA 88%
66%
Colon screening
VA 67%
74%
Mammogram
VA 79%
77%
Taking BP meds
VA 77%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Narrows 8.8% · Virginia 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection

How Narrows adults are doing

1 in 3Narrows adults feel lonely
34.6% · Virginia 33.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Narrows adults have been diagnosed with depression
26% · Virginia 21.8% · worse
1 in 5Narrows adults lack social or emotional support
21% · Virginia 21.6% · too close to call
1 in 5Narrows adults are in frequent mental distress
18.6% · Virginia 15.9% · worse
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 8
Narrows adults worry about having enough food
12.5% · VA 13.1% · about the same
1 in 10
Narrows adults worry about keeping their housing
9.9% · VA 10.9% · about the same
1 in 15
Narrows adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.6% · VA 7.1% · about the same
1 in 14
Narrows adults lack reliable transportation
7.3% · VA 7.4% · about the same

10.9% of Narrows adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.

Disability

Living with a disability

34.9%

of Narrows adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.8%
Thinking or memory16.7%
Hearing8.1%
Errands alone9.2%
Vision4.9%
Dressing or bathing3.8%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Narrows

No hospital or community health center in Narrows itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERCarilion Giles Community HospitalPearisburg · 6 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyLewisgale Hospital Pulaski★★★★★ · 18.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careFree Clinic of New River ValleyPearisburg · 4.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.7 mi
Free Clinic of New River Valley
2 sites · nearest in Pearisburg
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
6 mi
Carilion Giles Community Hospital
Pearisburg · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
6 mi
Monroe County Health Department
2 sites · nearest in Peterstown
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
16.9 mi
Princeton Community Hospital Assn
Princeton · ★★★★★
ER
18.3 mi
Lewisgale Hospital Pulaski
Pulaski · ★★★★★
ER
23.1 mi
Summers County Arh Hospital
Hinton · not rated
ERRural critical access
! Primary careNarrows's county is a federal shortage area.Giles County · need score 12 of 25
! Dental careNarrows's county is a federal shortage area.Bland/Giles Counties · need score 10 of 25
! Mental healthNarrows's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, New River Valley MHCA · need score 17 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 Narrows. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Narrows
MeasureNarrowsMarginVirginia
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure37.3%33.3–41.5%35.4%about the same
High cholesterol39.5%35.2–43.9%38%about the same
Obesity36.1%28.6–44.5%34.5%about the same
Arthritis30.2%27–33.7%26.2%worse
Depression26%22.4–30.1%21.8%worse
Lost all teeth (65+)15.1%12.3–18.2%11.1%worse
Asthma11%9.8–12.5%10.4%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.1%8.3–10.1%7.7%worse
Diabetes12.6%10.9–14.4%12.5%about the same
COPD8.4%7.3–9.6%6.2%worse
Heart disease7.4%6.6–8.2%6.1%worse
Stroke3.7%3.4–4.1%3.3%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes16.2%13.7–19.1%12.2%worse
Binge drink15.7%12.9–18.9%14.5%about the same
Get no exercise26.3%22–31.2%23.8%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours35.3%29.1–42.1%36%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup77.4%73.7–80.9%79.2%about the same
Dentist visit62%58.5–65.7%67.9%worse
Cholesterol check85.6%83.4–87.6%87.5%about the same
Colon screening66.2%61.3–71.1%67.4%about the same
Mammogram74%66.2–81%78.6%about the same
Taking BP meds77.3%74.6–79.9%76.8%about the same
No health insurance8.8%7.1–10.9%8.7%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely34.6%29.3–40%33.8%about the same
Lack emotional support21%17.7–24.5%21.6%about the same
Frequent mental distress18.6%16.5–20.9%15.9%worse
Fair or poor health20.2%17.4–23.4%18.1%about the same
Frequent physical distress14.9%13.1–17%12.8%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity12.5%10.2–15.2%13.1%about the same
Housing insecurity9.9%8.2–11.8%10.9%about the same
Utility shut-off threat6.6%5.5–7.7%7.1%about the same
No reliable transportation7.3%6.2–8.5%7.4%about the same
Receive SNAP10.9%8.8–13.3%10.7%
Disability
Any disability34.9%30.4–39.7%30%
Walking or climbing stairs15.8%13.6–18.1%13.5%
Thinking or memory16.7%14.7–19.1%14%
Hearing8.1%7.2–9.1%6.4%
Vision4.9%4.4–5.5%4.7%
Dressing or bathing3.8%3.4–4.3%3.5%
Errands alone9.2%8.1–10.4%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 Narrows door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Virginia figure falls inside it, we don't call Narrows better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Narrows 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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