Photo: Crazyleaper at English Wikipedia · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Blacksburg is healthier than 81%
Blacksburg trails South Carolina on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Blacksburg. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Blacksburg
Making ends meet is harder in Blacksburg
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (22.8%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. No reliable transportation (11% vs 8.6%) and utility shut-off threats (11.1% vs 8.9%) are higher too. 15% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Blacksburg
57.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.1% across South Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 17.2% have lost all their teeth (South Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
More Blacksburg adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.6%), vs 25.8% across South Carolina. Habits ↓
Blacksburg is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Blacksburg is healthier than 15%. Against the 808 towns with similar household incomes ($24K–$40K), it’s healthier than 81%. 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 South Carolina figure falls outside Blacksburg’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Blacksburg’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Blacksburg is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 32% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Blacksburg’s median household income is $32,092; among the 808 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($24K–$40K), it’s healthier than 81%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15% of Blacksburg adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Keeping up with care
Share of Blacksburg adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Blacksburg adults…
Blacksburg runs above SC on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Blacksburg
No hospital or community health center in Blacksburg 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 Blacksburg; ≈ 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).
How Blacksburg adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Blacksburg runs above South Carolina.
1 in 3 Blacksburg 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.
Blacksburg and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg | C− | 38.5% | 14.3% | 17.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Blacksburg adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Blacksburg
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Blacksburg is better than South Carolina on 0 and worse on 14; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Blacksburg’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Blacksburg | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.2%21.2–27.5 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.3–18.3 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.8%17.6–22.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.5%31–46.1 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.3%12.5–16.2 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.3%34.3–42.3 | 38.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.4%33.3–41.7 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.5%26.3–32.8 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.6–12.2 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.9%7.2–8.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.5–8.1 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.3%8.1–10.5 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.9–4.8 | 3.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.2%14.1–20.6 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.5%14.9–20.2 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.6%26.9–36.7 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.9%13–19.1 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40%33–46.9 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.9%11.5–16.8 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%74.9–82 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.6%53.6–61.4 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.6%81.3–85.8 | 86.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%76.1–81.2 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.5%58.2–68.6 | 69.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.6%67.9–82.4 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.2%21.6–29.2 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.4%30.5–40.8 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.5%21.8–29.5 | 23.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.8%19.3–26.6 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.3%14–19 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.1%9.6–12.9 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11%9.6–12.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15%12.6–17.7 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.9%32.5–41.7 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.7%15.4–20.1 | 15.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18%15.8–20.3 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.7–8.5 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.2–7.7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.3%10–12.8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.7–5.9 | 4.3% | 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 South Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Blacksburg
Is Blacksburg a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Blacksburg is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Blacksburg?
CDC estimates 38.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31% and 46.1%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Blacksburg?
Cherokee Medical Center in Gaffney, 6.9 miles in a straight line from Blacksburg’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Blacksburg have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.5–16.8%), against 11.8% across South Carolina.
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 Blacksburg 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 Blacksburg.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The South Carolina 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.