St. Luke's Church · Photo: Kallicrates at English Wikipedia · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Benns Church is healthier than 65%
Benns Church differs from Virginia on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Benns Church. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Benns Church
Making ends meet is harder in Benns Church
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (17.6%), vs 13.1% across Virginia. Utility shut-off threats (10.3% vs 7.1%) and housing insecurity (15.2% vs 10.9%) are higher too. 15.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Benns Church
62.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67.9% across Virginia. Among those 65 and older, 15.8% have lost all their teeth (Virginia 11.1%). Benns Church’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Benns Church
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (15%), vs 12.2% across Virginia. Habits ↓
Benns Church is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Benns Church is healthier than 37%. Against the 7,766 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 65%. 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 Virginia figure falls outside Benns Church’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Benns Church’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Benns Church is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 57% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Benns Church’s median household income is $56,151; among the 7,766 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 65%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Benns Church compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.5% of Benns Church adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Keeping up with care
Share of Benns Church adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Out of every 100 Benns Church adults…
Benns Church runs below VA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Benns Church
No hospital or community health center in Benns Church 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 Benns Church; ≈ 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 Benns Church adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Benns Church 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.
Benns Church and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benns Church | C+ | 40% | 13.7% | 15% | CDC place |
| Smithfield | B | 36.1% | 13.8% | 12.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Benns Church adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Benns Church
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Benns Church is better than Virginia on 1 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Benns Church’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Benns Church | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.7%17.7–23.6 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%11.9–15.5 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%15.8–20.2 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40%32.4–48 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.7%11.9–15.6 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.4%33.3–41.6 | 35.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.9%30.8–39.1 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.4%23.3–29.7 | 26.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.1–12.9 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6%5.4–6.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.8–6.1 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.2%5.3–7.2 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.8%13–18.5 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15%12.4–17.6 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.9%21.4–30.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.1%11.6–17 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.1%34.8–47.3 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.3%7.7–11.2 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%75.9–82.5 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.2%58.8–65.5 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.6%84.7–88.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76%72.9–78.7 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61%56.1–65.6 | 67.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78%71.4–83.8 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.2%18.9–25.8 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.7%29.6–40.2 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.1%20.6–28.2 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.6%14.7–20.6 | 13.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.2%12.9–17.8 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.3%8.8–12 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.7%8.4–11.2 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.5%12.9–18.6 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.2%27.7–36.7 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.8%12.7–17 | 13.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%14–18.2 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.6–6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.8–6.1 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.6–10 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.6–4.7 | 3.5% | 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 Virginia figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Benns Church
Is Benns Church a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Benns Church is healthier than 37% 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 Benns Church?
CDC estimates 40% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.4% and 48%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Benns Church?
Bon Secours Harbour View Medical Center in Suffolk, 9.2 miles in a straight line from Benns Church’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Benns Church have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–11.2%), 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 Benns Church 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 Benns Church.
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.