Health · Selma

Selma, VA health

Selma differs from Virginia on 14 of 40 measures. It has more adults treating high blood pressure (81.6% vs 76.8%). Where it trails the state: more adults with COPD (10.4% vs 6.2%).

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

Not graded

Health Grades cover towns with 1,000 or more residents. CDC's estimates for a place of 146 people are less certain, so we show Selma's figures without a grade.

Report card

How Selma 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 Selma adults…

44 of every 100 Selma adults have high blood pressure
Virginia: 35 in 100 · worse · margin 39.4–48.8%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Selma, betterSelma, worseToo close to callVirginia
Get no exerciseshare of adults 28.9% Selma
VA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 33.8% Selma
VA 36%
Binge drinkshare of adults 13.5% Selma
VA 14.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 17% Selma
VA 12.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

81%
Yearly checkup
VA 79%
61%
Dentist visit
VA 68%
88%
Cholesterol check
VA 88%
67%
Colon screening
VA 67%
73%
Mammogram
VA 79%
82%
Taking BP meds
VA 77%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Selma 9% · Virginia 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection

How Selma adults are doing

1 in 3Selma adults feel lonely
32.9% · Virginia 33.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Selma adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.5% · Virginia 21.8% · too close to call
1 in 5Selma adults lack social or emotional support
20.8% · Virginia 21.6% · too close to call
1 in 6Selma adults are in frequent mental distress
16.6% · 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 8
Selma adults worry about having enough food
12.3% · VA 13.1% · about the same
1 in 11
Selma adults worry about keeping their housing
9.1% · VA 10.9% · about the same
1 in 16
Selma adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.1% · VA 7.1% · about the same
1 in 15
Selma adults lack reliable transportation
6.8% · VA 7.4% · about the same

10.8% of Selma adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.

Disability

Living with a disability

38.7%

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

Walking or climbing stairs19.7%
Thinking or memory15.9%
Hearing10.5%
Errands alone9.7%
Vision5.7%
Dressing or bathing4.5%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Selma

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

HNearest ERLewisgale Hospital AlleghanyLow Moor · 5.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyCarilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital★★★★★ · 22.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careRainelle Medical CenterWhite Sulphur Springs · 23.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5.9 mi
Lewisgale Hospital Alleghany
Low Moor · ★★★★★
ER
13.1 mi
Bath Community Hospital
Hot Springs · not rated
ERRural critical access
22.3 mi
Carilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital
Lexington · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
23.9 mi
Rainelle Medical Center
3 sites · nearest in White Sulphur Springs
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
24.3 mi
Rockbridge Area Free Clinic
3 sites · nearest in Lexington
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
30.8 mi
Pocahontas Memorial Hospital
Buckeye · not rated
ERRural critical access
! Primary careSelma's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Alleghany County/Covington City · need score 19 of 25
! Dental careSelma's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Alleghany County/Covington City · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthSelma's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Alleghany Highlands MHCA · need score 14 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 Selma. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Selma
MeasureSelmaMarginVirginia
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure43.9%39.4–48.8%35.4%worse
High cholesterol44%39.2–49%38%worse
Obesity38.5%30.7–47.3%34.5%about the same
Arthritis36.9%32.9–41.1%26.2%worse
Depression23.5%19.8–27.7%21.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)17%13.5–20.7%11.1%worse
Asthma10.6%9.2–12.1%10.4%about the same
Cancer (not skin)11.7%10.4–13%7.7%worse
Diabetes15.4%13–17.9%12.5%worse
COPD10.4%8.4–12.7%6.2%worse
Heart disease9.8%8.5–11.4%6.1%worse
Stroke4.8%4.1–5.6%3.3%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17%13.3–20.6%12.2%worse
Binge drink13.5%10.9–16.5%14.5%about the same
Get no exercise28.9%23.3–34.7%23.8%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours33.8%26.5–41%36%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup80.7%77.2–84.1%79.2%about the same
Dentist visit60.9%56.8–64.8%67.9%worse
Cholesterol check88.3%86.2–90.3%87.5%about the same
Colon screening67.4%61.5–72.3%67.4%about the same
Mammogram73%63.9–80.5%78.6%about the same
Taking BP meds81.6%78.9–84.3%76.8%better
No health insurance9%6.7–12%8.7%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely32.9%28.3–37.8%33.8%about the same
Lack emotional support20.8%17.7–24.4%21.6%about the same
Frequent mental distress16.6%14.2–18.9%15.9%about the same
Fair or poor health22.7%18.8–27.1%18.1%worse
Frequent physical distress16.8%14.3–19.5%12.8%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity12.3%9.8–15.2%13.1%about the same
Housing insecurity9.1%7.5–11%10.9%about the same
Utility shut-off threat6.1%5.2–7.2%7.1%about the same
No reliable transportation6.8%5.7–8%7.4%about the same
Receive SNAP10.8%8.5–13.5%10.7%
Disability
Any disability38.7%33.1–44.3%30%
Walking or climbing stairs19.7%16.2–23.3%13.5%
Thinking or memory15.9%13.3–18.7%14%
Hearing10.5%9.1–12.1%6.4%
Vision5.7%4.8–6.8%4.7%
Dressing or bathing4.5%3.7–5.5%3.5%
Errands alone9.7%8.1–11.7%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 Selma door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Virginia figure falls inside it, we don't call Selma better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Selma 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/19 · 2025-01-01