Health · Belle
Belle, WV health
On most measures Belle looks like West Virginia as a whole. Where it trails the state most: more older adults who have lost all their teeth (23.9% vs 19.5%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for BelleTownTapestry Health GradeNew
D
Belle’s Health Grade: D
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Belle is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns and 53% of West Virginia towns.
C-Self-rated healthDPhysical distressD-Mental distressC-ObesityDDiabetesDSmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 8%
Less healthyHealthier
West Virginia towns we grade (150)Healthier than 53%
Towns with similar incomes, $58K–$96K (9,836)Healthier than 2%
About what its income would suggest. Belle does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Belle could be anywhere from D− to C.
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 West 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 Belle 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. Belle 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 Belle compares with West 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% have obesity
0 better11 close1 worse
Habits
33.6% get no exercise
0 better4 close0 worse
Care & screenings
82.1% had a checkup
0 better7 close0 worse
Mind & connection
34.4% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
16.2% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
40.9% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Belle adults…
47 of every 100 Belle adults have high blood pressure
West Virginia: 44 in 100 · too close to call · margin 43–50.8%
Bars show Belle; the black tick is West Virginia. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Belle, betterBelle, worseToo close to callWest Virginia
Get no exerciseshare of adults
33.6% Belle
WV 32.8%
WV 32.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
39.7% Belle
WV 40.7%
WV 40.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults
14.1% Belle
WV 14.1%
WV 14.1%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
20.2% Belle
WV 19.3%
WV 19.3%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Belle adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks West Virginia.
Yearly checkup
WV 81%Dentist visit
WV 56%Cholesterol check
WV 87%Colon screening
WV 67%Mammogram
WV 76%Taking BP meds
WV 80%1 in 13
working-age adults has no health insurance
Belle 7.8% · West Virginia 1 in 12 (8.5%)
Mind & connection
How Belle adults are doing
1 in 3Belle adults feel lonely
34.4% · West Virginia 33.8% · too close to call
1 in 3Belle adults have been diagnosed with depression
31% · West Virginia 30.4% · too close to call
1 in 4Belle adults lack social or emotional support
24.6% · West Virginia 23% · too close to call
1 in 5Belle adults are in frequent mental distress
21.5% · West Virginia 21.1% · 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 6
Belle adults worry about having enough food
16.2% · WV 16.2% · about the same
1 in 8
Belle adults worry about keeping their housing
12.4% · WV 12.4% · about the same
1 in 9
Belle adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
10.8% · WV 11% · about the same
1 in 12
Belle adults lack reliable transportation
8.1% · WV 8.9% · about the same
16.2% of Belle adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 17.8% across West Virginia.
Disability
Living with a disability
40.9%
of Belle adults live with a disability (West Virginia 39.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs19.7%
Thinking or memory18.7%
Hearing9.3%
Errands alone11%
Vision5.5%
Dressing or bathing4.4%
Black tick: West Virginia. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Belle
No hospital or community health center in Belle itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERCharleston Area Medical CenterCharleston · 9.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careWomencareCharleston · 1.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1.7 mi
Womencare
3 sites · nearest in Charleston
Familycare Health Center - MarmetCharleston · 1.7 mi
Familycare Health Center - Lee StreetCharleston · 9.2 mi
Familycare Health Centers KchdCharleston · 10 mi
2.4 mi
Cabin Creek Health Systems
3 sites · nearest in Belle
Riverside Health CenterBelle · 2.4 mi
Kanawha City Health CenterCharleston · 6.5 mi
Cabin Creek Health CenterDawes · 7.9 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careBelle's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Kanawha County · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careBelle's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Kanawha County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthBelle's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Kanawha County · 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 Belle. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Belle
| Measure | Belle | Margin | West Virginia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 46.9% | 43–50.8% | 44% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 44.5% | 40.7–48.4% | 42.7% | about the same |
| Obesity | 40% | 34.7–45.2% | 40.6% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 39.3% | 35.9–42.9% | 37.7% | about the same |
| Depression | 31% | 27.2–34.8% | 30.4% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 23.9% | 20.4–27.6% | 19.5% | worse |
| Asthma | 12.1% | 10.6–13.9% | 12.2% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 10.5% | 9.4–11.7% | 9.6% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 15.8% | 13.6–18.2% | 15.9% | about the same |
| COPD | 10.5% | 8.9–12.4% | 10.6% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 9% | 7.9–10.3% | 8.7% | about the same |
| Stroke | 4.3% | 3.8–5% | 4.2% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.2% | 16.8–24.1% | 19.3% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 14.1% | 11.6–16.6% | 14.1% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 33.6% | 28.6–38.9% | 32.8% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.7% | 35.8–43.8% | 40.7% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 82.1% | 79–84.7% | 81% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 55.5% | 52.3–58.8% | 55.5% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 88.5% | 86.5–90.3% | 86.8% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 67% | 63.4–70.5% | 66.5% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 77.7% | 72.2–82.8% | 76.1% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 80.6% | 77.8–83% | 79.5% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 7.8% | 6–9.9% | 8.5% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 34.4% | 30.5–38.7% | 33.8% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 24.6% | 21.2–28.3% | 23% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 21.5% | 18.9–24.4% | 21.1% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 24.6% | 21–28.8% | 25.4% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 17.4% | 15.1–20.1% | 17.3% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 16.2% | 13.1–19.6% | 16.2% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 12.4% | 10.3–14.8% | 12.4% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 10.8% | 9.1–12.6% | 11% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 8.1% | 6.8–9.5% | 8.9% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 16.2% | 12.9–19.8% | 17.8% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.9% | 36.2–46% | 39.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 19.7% | 16.8–23% | 18.7% | |
| Thinking or memory | 18.7% | 16.1–21.7% | 18.6% | |
| Hearing | 9.3% | 8.1–10.7% | 9% | |
| Vision | 5.5% | 4.8–6.4% | 5.7% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.4% | 3.8–5.2% | 4.6% | |
| Errands alone | 11% | 9.4–12.8% | 10.9% | |
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 Belle door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the West Virginia figure falls inside it, we don't call Belle better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Belle directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The West 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.