Health · Tornado
Tornado, WV health
Tornado differs from West Virginia on 12 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (9.9% vs 19.5%) and fewer uninsured adults (6.3% vs 8.5%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for TornadoTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C
Tornado’s Health Grade: C
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Tornado is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns and 78% of West Virginia towns.
B-Self-rated healthC+Physical distressDMental distressCObesityCDiabetesC-SmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 26%
Less healthyHealthier
West Virginia towns we grade (150)Healthier than 78%
Towns with similar incomes, $62K–$104K (9,662)Healthier than 14%
About what its income would suggest. Tornado does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Tornado 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 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 Tornado 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. Tornado 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 Tornado 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
38.9% have obesity
5 better7 close0 worse
Habits
27.6% get no exercise
1 better3 close0 worse
Care & screenings
81% had a checkup
3 better4 close0 worse
Mind & connection
33.1% feel lonely
1 better4 close0 worse
Everyday needs
12.7% face food insecurity
2 better3 close0 worse
Disability
34.9% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Tornado adults…
43 of every 100 Tornado adults have high blood pressure
West Virginia: 44 in 100 · too close to call · margin 38.5–46.3%
Bars show Tornado; the black tick is West Virginia. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Tornado, betterTornado, worseToo close to callWest Virginia
Get no exerciseshare of adults
27.6% Tornado
WV 32.8%
WV 32.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
39.8% Tornado
WV 40.7%
WV 40.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults
16.3% Tornado
WV 14.1%
WV 14.1%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
18% Tornado
WV 19.3%
WV 19.3%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Tornado 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 16
working-age adults has no health insurance
Tornado 6.3% · West Virginia 1 in 12 (8.5%)
Mind & connection
How Tornado adults are doing
1 in 3Tornado adults feel lonely
33.1% · West Virginia 33.8% · too close to call
1 in 3Tornado adults have been diagnosed with depression
30.8% · West Virginia 30.4% · too close to call
1 in 4Tornado adults lack social or emotional support
23.6% · West Virginia 23% · too close to call
1 in 5Tornado adults are in frequent mental distress
20.7% · 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 8
Tornado adults worry about having enough food
12.7% · WV 16.2% · better
1 in 9
Tornado adults worry about keeping their housing
10.9% · WV 12.4% · about the same
1 in 11
Tornado adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.4% · WV 11% · about the same
1 in 15
Tornado adults lack reliable transportation
6.8% · WV 8.9% · better
12.1% of Tornado adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 17.8% across West Virginia.
Disability
Living with a disability
34.9%
of Tornado adults live with a disability (West Virginia 39.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs15.1%
Thinking or memory16.7%
Hearing7.3%
Errands alone8.8%
Vision4.2%
Dressing or bathing3.5%
Black tick: West Virginia. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Tornado
No hospital or community health center in Tornado itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERThomas Memorial HospitalSouth Charleston · 7.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careWomencareSaint Albans · 4.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.2 mi
Womencare
6 sites · nearest in Saint Albans
Familycare Health Center - St. AlbansSaint Albans · 4.2 mi
Presciptioncare - St. AlbansSaint Albans · 4.2 mi
Familycare Health Centers - South CharlestonSouth Charleston · 7.4 mi
Familycare Health Center - Cross LanesCharleston · 7.4 mi
Familycare Health Center - HurricaneHurricane · 9.7 mi
Familycare Health Center - Teays ValleyScott Depot · 9.7 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careTornado's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Kanawha County · need score 17 of 25
! Dental careTornado's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Kanawha County · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthTornado'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 Tornado. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Tornado
| Measure | Tornado | Margin | West Virginia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 42.5% | 38.5–46.3% | 44% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 42.4% | 38.5–46.1% | 42.7% | about the same |
| Obesity | 38.9% | 33.6–44.1% | 40.6% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 35.1% | 31.7–38.4% | 37.7% | about the same |
| Depression | 30.8% | 27.1–34.5% | 30.4% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 9.9% | 8.1–11.8% | 19.5% | better |
| Asthma | 11.7% | 10.3–13.3% | 12.2% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.3% | 8.4–10.3% | 9.6% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 13.2% | 11.3–15.1% | 15.9% | better |
| COPD | 8.1% | 6.9–9.5% | 10.6% | better |
| Heart disease | 7.1% | 6.2–8.1% | 8.7% | better |
| Stroke | 3.3% | 2.9–3.7% | 4.2% | better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18% | 15–21.4% | 19.3% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 16.3% | 13.5–19.2% | 14.1% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 27.6% | 23.5–32.1% | 32.8% | better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.8% | 35.9–43.9% | 40.7% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 81% | 77.8–83.9% | 81% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 63.4% | 60.2–66.5% | 55.5% | better |
| Cholesterol check | 89% | 86.9–90.6% | 86.8% | better |
| Colon screening | 69.6% | 65.9–73.3% | 66.5% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 77% | 71.5–82% | 76.1% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 77.9% | 74.6–80.8% | 79.5% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 6.3% | 4.8–8% | 8.5% | better |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 33.1% | 29.3–36.9% | 33.8% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 23.6% | 20.3–26.9% | 23% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 20.7% | 18.3–23.4% | 21.1% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 20.1% | 17.3–23.3% | 25.4% | better |
| Frequent physical distress | 15.1% | 13.2–17.3% | 17.3% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 12.7% | 10.2–15.3% | 16.2% | better |
| Housing insecurity | 10.9% | 9–12.8% | 12.4% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 9.4% | 7.9–11% | 11% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 6.8% | 5.8–8% | 8.9% | better |
| Receive SNAP | 12.1% | 9.6–14.7% | 17.8% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.9% | 30.8–39.5% | 39.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 15.1% | 12.9–17.6% | 18.7% | |
| Thinking or memory | 16.7% | 14.6–19.4% | 18.6% | |
| Hearing | 7.3% | 6.4–8.3% | 9% | |
| Vision | 4.2% | 3.6–4.8% | 5.7% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.5% | 3–4% | 4.6% | |
| Errands alone | 8.8% | 7.6–10.2% | 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 Tornado 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 Tornado better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Tornado 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.