Salem, VA health
Salem differs from Virginia on 6 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing housing insecurity (9.2% vs 10.9%). Where it trails the state: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (13.9% vs 11.1%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for SalemSalem’s Health Grade: B
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Salem is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns, and than 79% of towns with similar incomes.
Better than its income would suggest. Salem is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is 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 Salem 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. Salem 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.
How Salem 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
Habits
Care & screenings
Mind & connection
Everyday needs
Disability
Out of every 100 Salem adults…
Bars show Salem; the black tick is Virginia. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
VA 23.8%
VA 36%
VA 14.5%
VA 12.2%
Keeping up with care
Share of Salem adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Salem adults are doing
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.5% of Salem adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Living with a disability
of Salem adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Black tick: Virginia. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Salem and the towns around it
Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Salem.
Obesity
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.
Care in and near Salem
2 hospitals in Salem, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Salem. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Salem
| Measure | Salem | Margin | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 36.1% | 32.4–40% | 35.4% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 39.2% | 35.3–43.3% | 38% | about the same |
| Obesity | 35% | 28.2–42.5% | 34.5% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 30% | 27–33.1% | 26.2% | worse |
| Depression | 24.8% | 21.4–28.4% | 21.8% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 13.9% | 11.3–16.8% | 11.1% | worse |
| Asthma | 10.9% | 9.7–12.2% | 10.4% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.4% | 8.6–10.2% | 7.7% | worse |
| Diabetes | 12.3% | 10.8–14% | 12.5% | about the same |
| COPD | 7.3% | 6.5–8.2% | 6.2% | worse |
| Heart disease | 7% | 6.3–7.7% | 6.1% | worse |
| Stroke | 3.6% | 3.3–3.9% | 3.3% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.9% | 11.2–15% | 12.2% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 15% | 12.5–17.8% | 14.5% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 24.1% | 20.5–28.3% | 23.8% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.4% | 29.9–43.3% | 36% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 79.2% | 76–82.3% | 79.2% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 68.7% | 65.4–72% | 67.9% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 86.9% | 85.1–88.5% | 87.5% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 69.8% | 65–74.3% | 67.4% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 77% | 69.3–83.4% | 78.6% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 78.6% | 76–80.9% | 76.8% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 7.6% | 6.4–9% | 8.7% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 33.4% | 28.5–39% | 33.8% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 19.5% | 16.5–23% | 21.6% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 17% | 15.2–19.1% | 15.9% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 18.1% | 15.9–20.6% | 18.1% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 13.8% | 12.3–15.6% | 12.8% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 11.5% | 9.6–13.5% | 13.1% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 9.2% | 7.8–10.8% | 10.9% | better |
| Utility shut-off threat | 6.2% | 5.3–7.1% | 7.1% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 6.9% | 6–7.9% | 7.4% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 9.5% | 8–11.2% | 10.7% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.6% | 28.7–36.8% | 30% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 14.8% | 13.1–16.8% | 13.5% | |
| Thinking or memory | 15% | 13.3–16.8% | 14% | |
| Hearing | 7.6% | 6.8–8.5% | 6.4% | |
| Vision | 4.6% | 4.2–5.1% | 4.7% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.5% | 3.2–3.9% | 3.5% | |
| Errands alone | 8.3% | 7.5–9.3% | 7.7% | |
How CDC estimates town health
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.