Photo: Geirfuglasker · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Vernonia is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns
Vernonia trails Oregon on 5 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Vernonia. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Vernonia
Smoking is more common in Vernonia
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.3%), vs 12% across Oregon. Habits ↓
The nearest ER is 22 miles from Vernonia
The closest emergency room is Peacehealth St. John Medical Center in Longview, 21.8 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Community Health Center of Clatskanie is closer (16.7 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Vernonia is short on primary care and mental health care
Vernonia’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 ↓
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 Oregon figure falls outside Vernonia’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Vernonia’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Vernonia is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 71% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Vernonia’s median household income is $83,411; among the 10,500 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$104K), it’s healthier than 33%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Everyday habits, side by side with Oregon
Share of adults, with the Oregon figure marked.
1.8 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Care in and near Vernonia
No hospital or community health center in Vernonia 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 Vernonia; ≈ 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 Vernonia adults…
Vernonia runs above OR on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Vernonia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oregon.
How Vernonia adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Vernonia runs above Oregon.
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.
Vernonia and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernonia | C+ | 34.8% | 11.8% | 16.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Vernonia adults live with a disability (Oregon 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Vernonia
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Vernonia is better than Oregon on 0 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Oregon figure falls inside Vernonia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Vernonia | OR | U.S. | vs OR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21%18.1–24.2 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.7–17.2 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%17.6–21.4 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.8%30.1–39.8 | 33.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.4–13.1 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.6%30.8–36.6 | 32.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.3%30.3–36.2 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.1%27.7–32.6 | 27.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.8%11.6–14 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%8–9.5 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 6.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.2%6.9–9.6 | 6.8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.3%10.8–16.1 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.3%13.5–19.1 | 12% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 22.4%19–25.8 | 20.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%14.1–18.4 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.4%27.7–39.7 | 30.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.2%6.4–10.3 | 8.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.6%67.3–73.5 | 72.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60%56.5–63.7 | 64.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.6%80.3–84.7 | 84% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.4%67.6–72.9 | 71.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.9%59.7–69.9 | 63.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.4%70.3–83.7 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.9%26.1–31.8 | 27.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.6%26.9–34.3 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.2–16.3 | 13% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.7%14.5–19 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.4–7.9 | 7.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.2–5.6 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%7.7–10.2 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.4–4.6 | 3.4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Oregon figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Vernonia
Is Vernonia a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Vernonia is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns: C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 33%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Vernonia?
CDC estimates 34.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.1% and 39.8%, against 33.6% across Oregon and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Vernonia?
Peacehealth St. John Medical Center in Longview, 21.8 miles in a straight line from Vernonia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Vernonia have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–10.3%), against 8.5% across Oregon.
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 Vernonia more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Vernonia.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Oregon 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.