Photo: Rivers Langley, http://www.phoenixrivers.blogspot.com · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Roanoke is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns
Roanoke trails Alabama on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Roanoke. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Roanoke
Making ends meet is harder in Roanoke
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (24.2%), vs 19.2% across Alabama. Utility shut-off threats (12.1% vs 9.6%) and housing insecurity (17% vs 13.9%) are higher too. 19.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Stroke and COPD run high in Roanoke
1 in 20 adults have had a stroke (5.1%), vs 4.1% across Alabama. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.5%), vs 8% across Alabama. In all, Roanoke runs above Alabama on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Roanoke is short on primary care and mental health care
Roanoke’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Roanoke is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Roanoke is healthier than 13%. Against the 4,702 towns with similar household incomes ($35K–$59K), it’s healthier than 40%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Alabama figure falls outside Roanoke’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Roanoke’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Roanoke is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns, #138 of 187 in Alabama. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 28% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 5%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Roanoke’s median household income is $47,105; among the 4,702 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($35K–$59K), it’s healthier than 40%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.1% of Roanoke adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Out of every 100 Roanoke adults…
Roanoke runs above AL on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Roanoke
No hospital or community health center in Roanoke 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 Roanoke; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Alabama
Share of adults, with the Alabama figure marked.
0.3 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Roanoke adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
How Roanoke adults are doing
About the same as Alabama on each measure.
4 in 10 Roanoke 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.
Roanoke and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke | D | 40.3% | 17.5% | 17.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Roanoke adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Roanoke
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Roanoke is better than Alabama on 0 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Roanoke’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Roanoke | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.1%23.7–30.8 | 22.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%13.9–18 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.2–20.4 | 17.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.3%32.2–49.1 | 39.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.5%15.3–20 | 14.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 48.1%43.7–52.6 | 43.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.9%38.5–47.6 | 40.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.4%29.9–37.2 | 30.3% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.4 | 10% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.5–9.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.3%7.4–9.4 | 7.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.5%8.2–11 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.5–5.6 | 4.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.6%18.5–27 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.2%14.6–20.1 | 15.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 32.3%27.2–37.5 | 28.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12%9.8–14.6 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.5%33.1–48.1 | 39.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.7%8.7–13 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.3%79.1–85.3 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.6%48.4–56.9 | 56.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.9%83.9–87.9 | 85.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.3%77.7–82.6 | 78% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.1%60.8–71.1 | 67% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.9%67.9–82.8 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.3%19.9–27.1 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.8%31.3–42.6 | 35.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.1%23.1–31.3 | 24.8% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.2%20.6–27.8 | 19.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17%14.5–19.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.1%10.4–13.9 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.8%10.3–13.5 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.1%16.1–22.2 | 14% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.2%36.2–46.1 | 36.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.8%18.2–23.7 | 17.1% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.9%15.6–20.1 | 16.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.8%7.8–10 | 8.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.4%6.6–8.4 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.8%10.3–13.3 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 4.6% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Alabama figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Roanoke
Is Roanoke a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Roanoke is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health, #138 of 187 in Alabama. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 40%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Roanoke?
CDC estimates 40.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.2% and 49.1%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Roanoke?
Tanner Medical Center-East Alabama in Wedowee, 13.7 miles in a straight line from Roanoke’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Roanoke have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.7–13%), against 9.9% across Alabama.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Roanoke more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Roanoke.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Alabama 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.