Health · Wise
Wise, VA health
Wise differs from Virginia on 12 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (9% vs 6.2%) and more smokers (16.1% vs 12.2%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for WiseTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C
Wise’s Health Grade: C
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Wise is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns, and than 52% of towns with similar incomes.
C+Self-rated healthCPhysical distressC-Mental distressC-ObesityCDiabetesCSmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 26%
Less healthyHealthier
Virginia towns we grade (374)Healthier than 23%
Towns with similar incomes, $40K–$67K (6,380)Healthier than 52%
Better than its income would suggest. Wise 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, Wise 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 Wise 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. Wise 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 Wise 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
40.2% have obesity
0 better5 close7 worse
Habits
27.8% get no exercise
0 better3 close1 worse
Care & screenings
78.8% had a checkup
0 better5 close2 worse
Mind & connection
35.7% feel lonely
0 better3 close2 worse
Everyday needs
13.3% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
35.8% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Wise adults…
39 of every 100 Wise adults have high blood pressure
Virginia: 35 in 100 · too close to call · margin 34.9–43.9%
Bars show Wise; the black tick is Virginia. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Wise, betterWise, worseToo close to callVirginia
Get no exerciseshare of adults
27.8% Wise
VA 23.8%
VA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
33.4% Wise
VA 36%
VA 36%
Binge drinkshare of adults
14.4% Wise
VA 14.5%
VA 14.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
16.1% Wise
VA 12.2%
VA 12.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Wise adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Yearly checkup
VA 79%Dentist visit
VA 68%Cholesterol check
VA 88%Colon screening
VA 67%Mammogram
VA 79%Taking BP meds
VA 77%1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Wise 8.7% · Virginia 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection
How Wise adults are doing
1 in 3Wise adults feel lonely
35.7% · Virginia 33.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Wise adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.5% · Virginia 21.8% · worse
1 in 5Wise adults lack social or emotional support
20.3% · Virginia 21.6% · too close to call
1 in 5Wise adults are in frequent mental distress
18.9% · 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
Wise adults worry about having enough food
13.3% · VA 13.1% · about the same
1 in 10
Wise adults worry about keeping their housing
10% · VA 10.9% · about the same
1 in 15
Wise adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.8% · VA 7.1% · about the same
1 in 13
Wise adults lack reliable transportation
7.6% · VA 7.4% · about the same
11.7% of Wise adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Disability
Living with a disability
35.8%
of Wise adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs16.6%
Thinking or memory17%
Hearing8.4%
Errands alone9.6%
Vision5.3%
Dressing or bathing4.2%
Black tick: Virginia. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Wise
No hospital or community health center in Wise itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERLonesome Pine HospitalBig Stone Gap · 11.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careMountain Comprehensive Health CorporationPound · 10.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
10.1 mi
Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation
4 sites · nearest in Pound
Pound Medical ClinicPound · 10.1 mi
Mchc Purchasing/ReceivingWhitesburg · 16.4 mi
Call CenterWhitesburg · 16.4 mi
Mchc Home MedicalWhitesburg · 17.6 mi
11.5 mi
St. Charles Health Council
2 sites · nearest in Appalachia
Appalachia Family Health CenterAppalachia · 11.5 mi
William A. Davis ClinicSaint Paul · 16.7 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careWise's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Wise/Norton City · need score 14 of 25
! Dental careWise's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Wise County/Norton City · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthWise's county is a federal shortage area.Planning District I MHCA · need score 18 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 Wise. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Wise
| Measure | Wise | Margin | Virginia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 39% | 34.9–43.9% | 35.4% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 39.8% | 35.6–44.8% | 38% | about the same |
| Obesity | 40.2% | 32.9–49.1% | 34.5% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 31.9% | 28.5–35.8% | 26.2% | worse |
| Depression | 26.5% | 22.8–30.9% | 21.8% | worse |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 14% | 11.5–17% | 11.1% | worse |
| Asthma | 11.3% | 10–12.9% | 10.4% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.6% | 8.7–10.6% | 7.7% | worse |
| Diabetes | 13.5% | 11.6–15.6% | 12.5% | about the same |
| COPD | 9% | 7.7–10.5% | 6.2% | worse |
| Heart disease | 7.8% | 6.8–8.7% | 6.1% | worse |
| Stroke | 4% | 3.5–4.4% | 3.3% | worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.1% | 13.4–19.2% | 12.2% | worse |
| Binge drink | 14.4% | 11.8–17.8% | 14.5% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 27.8% | 23.1–33.2% | 23.8% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.4% | 27.7–39.9% | 36% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 78.8% | 75.3–82.4% | 79.2% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 62.5% | 59–65.9% | 67.9% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 85.8% | 83.5–87.8% | 87.5% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 68.1% | 63.5–72.6% | 67.4% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 70.7% | 62.9–78.2% | 78.6% | worse |
| Taking BP meds | 77.5% | 74.6–80.4% | 76.8% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 8.7% | 6.8–11.1% | 8.7% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 35.7% | 30.4–41.2% | 33.8% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 20.3% | 17.1–23.9% | 21.6% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 18.9% | 16.5–21.5% | 15.9% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 20.8% | 17.8–24.3% | 18.1% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 15.7% | 13.5–17.9% | 12.8% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 13.3% | 10.7–16.3% | 13.1% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 10% | 8.2–12% | 10.9% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 6.8% | 5.7–8% | 7.1% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 7.6% | 6.5–8.9% | 7.4% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 11.7% | 9.4–14.3% | 10.7% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.8% | 30.9–41% | 30% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 16.6% | 14.2–19.2% | 13.5% | |
| Thinking or memory | 17% | 14.6–19.6% | 14% | |
| Hearing | 8.4% | 7.3–9.5% | 6.4% | |
| Vision | 5.3% | 4.7–6.1% | 4.7% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.2% | 3.6–4.8% | 3.5% | |
| Errands alone | 9.6% | 8.3–11.1% | 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 Wise door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Virginia figure falls inside it, we don't call Wise better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Wise 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.