Photo: Elcajonfarms at en.wikipedia · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Velva is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns
Velva trails North Dakota on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Velva. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Velva
Velva is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Velva’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Velva
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.7%), vs 5.9% across North Dakota. 1 in 26 adults have had a stroke (3.8%), vs 3.1% across North Dakota. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.4%, vs 6.1% across North Dakota. In all, Velva runs above North Dakota on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Velva adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (26.9%), vs 21.8% across North Dakota. Habits ↓
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 North Dakota figure falls outside Velva’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Velva’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Velva is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 84% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Velva’s median household income is $83,060; among the 10,523 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($62K–$104K), it’s healthier than 44%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Care in and near Velva
No hospital or community health center in Velva 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 Velva; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Velva adults…
Velva runs above ND on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Dakota
Share of adults, with the North Dakota figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Velva adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Dakota.
How Velva adults are doing
About the same as North Dakota on each measure.
3 in 10 Velva 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8% of Velva adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.7% across North Dakota.
Velva and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velva | B− | 42.8% | 11.3% | 16.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Velva adults live with a disability (North Dakota 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Velva
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Velva is better than North Dakota on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the North Dakota figure falls inside Velva’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Velva | ND | U.S. | vs ND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.7%15.5–22.2 | 16.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%11.8–15.8 | 11.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%12.7–16.8 | 14.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.8%35.2–50.9 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.3%9.6–13 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37%32.9–41.2 | 31.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%31.6–40.1 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2%26.7–33.8 | 25.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.2–11.9 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.5–10.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.4–8.4 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.7%6.3–9.2 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.5%10.8–16.4 | 10.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.2%13–19.6 | 13.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.9%22–32.2 | 21.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 19.3%16.1–22.8 | 21.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%26.6–39.5 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%5.5–9.4 | 7.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.9%72–79.6 | 74.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.5%58.6–66.2 | 64.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.4%82–86.7 | 82.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76.2–82 | 76.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.7%60–70.9 | 64.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.7%70.1–84.1 | 78% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%17.9–24.9 | 21.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.1%24.3–34.5 | 29.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%17.1–24.3 | 20.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.6%9–14.6 | 10.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.4%7.6–11.4 | 8.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.2–7.5 | 5.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%5.5–7.9 | 6.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8%6–10.4 | 6.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.8%27.1–36.7 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.5%12–17.1 | 11.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.4%11.4–15.6 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%8–10.5 | 7.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.1–5.6 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7–9.7 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.3–4.6 | 3.1% | 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 North Dakota figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Velva
Is Velva a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Velva is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 44%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Velva?
CDC estimates 42.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.2% and 50.9%, against 36.5% across North Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Velva?
Trinity Hospitals in Minot, 20.3 miles in a straight line from Velva’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Velva have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–9.4%), against 7.3% across North Dakota.
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 Velva more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Velva.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Dakota 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.