Cheat Lake is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Cheat Lake differs from West Virginia on 26 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (8.4% vs 19.5%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (7.2% vs 16.2%). Where it trails the state: more binge drinkers (17.6% vs 14.1%).
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cheat Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cheat Lake
Read from the numbers below. The page puts what stands out first.
Everyday habits, side by side with West Virginia
Cheat Lake is #1 of 63 in WV for the most active adults.
6.2 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Cheat Lake adults…
Cheat Lake runs below WV on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Cheat Lake
No hospital or community health center in Cheat Lake itself. These are the nearest.
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 Cheat Lake; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Keeping up with care
Share of Cheat Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks West Virginia.
How Cheat Lake adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Cheat Lake does better than West Virginia.
1 in 3 Cheat Lake adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Cheat Lake’s Health Grade: A−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Cheat Lake is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns and 100% of West Virginia towns.
Wealth explains part of the grade. Cheat Lake is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.
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 the 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): A+ is the top 5%, A the next 10%, A− the next 10%, the B range the next 30%, the C range the next 30%, D and D− the bottom 15%. There’s no F.
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Cheat Lake 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. 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.8% of Cheat Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 17.8% across West Virginia.
Cheat Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cheat Lake adults live with a disability (West Virginia 39.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
All 40 CDC measures for Cheat Lake
| Measure | Cheat Lake | Likely range | West Virginia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 33.6% | 29.8–37.2% | 44% | better |
| High cholesterol | 38.5% | 34.4–42.3% | 42.7% | better |
| Obesity | 30.3% | 25.1–35.6% | 40.6% | better |
| Arthritis | 29.1% | 25.8–32.1% | 37.7% | better |
| Depression | 26.4% | 22.9–29.8% | 30.4% | better |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 8.4% | 6.8–10.3% | 19.5% | better |
| Asthma | 10.9% | 9.6–12.2% | 12.2% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 8.9% | 8.1–9.9% | 9.6% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 10.6% | 9.1–12.1% | 15.9% | better |
| COPD | 5.5% | 4.7–6.4% | 10.6% | better |
| Heart disease | 5.3% | 4.7–6.1% | 8.7% | better |
| Stroke | 2.5% | 2.2–2.8% | 4.2% | better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.9% | 8.9–13.3% | 19.3% | better |
| Binge drink | 17.6% | 14.7–20.6% | 14.1% | worse |
| Get no exercise | 18.4% | 15.2–21.9% | 32.8% | better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.7% | 30.7–40.9% | 40.7% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 80.2% | 76.8–83.1% | 81% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 72.6% | 69.5–75.6% | 55.5% | better |
| Cholesterol check | 90.5% | 88.8–92% | 86.8% | better |
| Colon screening | 71.8% | 67.6–75.9% | 66.5% | better |
| Mammogram | 85.7% | 80.6–89.8% | 76.1% | better |
| Taking BP meds | 78.2% | 74.9–80.9% | 79.5% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 4.8% | 3.8–6.1% | 8.5% | better |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 30.6% | 26.3–35% | 33.8% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 18.5% | 15.5–21.6% | 23% | better |
| Frequent mental distress | 16.5% | 14.4–18.7% | 21.1% | better |
| Fair or poor health | 14.2% | 12.1–16.5% | 25.4% | better |
| Frequent physical distress | 11.4% | 9.9–13% | 17.3% | better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 7.2% | 5.8–8.9% | 16.2% | better |
| Housing insecurity | 7.2% | 5.8–8.7% | 12.4% | better |
| Utility shut-off threat | 6.2% | 5.1–7.3% | 11% | better |
| No reliable transportation | 4.9% | 4.1–5.7% | 8.9% | better |
| Receive SNAP | 6.8% | 5.3–8.5% | 17.8% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.8% | 20.4–27.4% | 39.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 10.2% | 8.7–11.9% | 18.7% | |
| Thinking or memory | 11.8% | 10.2–13.6% | 18.6% | |
| Hearing | 5.7% | 5–6.5% | 9% | |
| Vision | 2.9% | 2.6–3.3% | 5.7% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 2.4% | 2.1–2.7% | 4.6% | |
| Errands alone | 6% | 5.2–6.9% | 10.9% | |
How CDC estimates town health
CDC combines a large national health survey with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Cheat Lake door to door.
Every figure has a likely range. When the West Virginia figure falls inside it, we don’t call Cheat Lake better or worse.
CDC publishes Cheat Lake directly, so these are its own figures.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Cheat Lake.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The West Virginia figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.