Photo: Ben Schumin · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Alexandria as a whole is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Alexandria differs from Virginia on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Alexandria. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Alexandria
COPD and heart disease are less common in Alexandria
Alexandria runs below Virginia on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (3.9% vs 6.2%), heart disease (4% vs 6.1%) and stroke (2.3% vs 3.3%). Conditions ↓
Alexandria has a five-star hospital
Inova Alexandria Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Alexandria is an active town
Only 19.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across Virginia. The town has 26 miles of trails across 61 parks and preserves. 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 Virginia figure falls outside Alexandria’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Alexandria’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alexandria is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, #80 of 253 in Virginia. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 94% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 77%.
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). Alexandria’s median household income is $119,681; among the 5,788 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($90K–$150K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Most Virginia towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Alexandria is healthier than 69% of graded towns, against 91% nationally.
At 160,662 residents, Alexandria is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Out of every 100 Alexandria adults…
Alexandria runs below VA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Alexandria residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Virginia. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Alexandria
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Alexandria, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Alexandria; ≈ 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 Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
26 miles of trails across 61 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Alexandria adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Alexandria adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Alexandria 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.
9% of Alexandria adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Alexandria and the towns around it
Alexandria’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 8 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | A | 31.7% | 9.2% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| Arlington | A+ | 24.9% | 7.3% | 7% | CDC place |
| Lincolnia | A | 26.7% | 10.8% | 9.2% | CDC place |
| Bailey's Crossroads | B | 29.7% | 13.1% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Rose Hill | A+ | 25.6% | 9.9% | 8.4% | CDC place |
| Huntington | A+ | 26.2% | 8.6% | 8.3% | CDC place |
| Belle Haven | A+ | 25.6% | 9.6% | 7.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Alexandria adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Alexandria
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Alexandria is better than Virginia on 13 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Alexandria’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Alexandria | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.7%12.9–16.7 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 12.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.3–16.9 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.7%25.8–37.7 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.2%8–10.6 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.6%25.2–32.1 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%30.4–38.3 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.5%18–23.1 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.3 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4%3.6–4.5 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.7%5.4–8.2 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.1%7.9–10.5 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.5%16.4–22.8 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.6–19.7 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.7%29.5–40.2 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7.5–9.9 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%73.4–80.5 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.3%68.4–74.2 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%86.1–89.2 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.3%67.8–74.5 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.5%64–72.8 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.5%74.3–85.8 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.4%18.2–24.8 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.2%28.6–38.1 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%17.6–23.7 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.7%10.1–13.3 | 13.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.6%9.2–12.1 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.8–7.6 | 7.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.8%6–7.6 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9%7.8–10.3 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.4%21.1–27.8 | 30% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.3%8.2–10.6 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%10.9–13.7 | 14% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.5%4–5 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.4–4 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6%5.4–6.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.3–2.8 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Virginia figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Alexandria
Is Alexandria a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alexandria is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns: A for health, #80 of 253 in Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Alexandria?
CDC estimates 31.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.8% and 37.7%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Alexandria?
Inova Alexandria Hospital in Alexandria, 1.2 miles in a straight line from Alexandria’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Alexandria have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–9.9%), against 8.7% across Virginia.
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 Alexandria more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Alexandria.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Virginia 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.