Photo: KJPurscell · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Big Stone Gap is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns
Big Stone Gap trails Virginia on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Big Stone Gap. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Big Stone Gap
Making ends meet is harder in Big Stone Gap
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19%), vs 13.1% across Virginia. Utility shut-off threats (10.3% vs 7.1%) and no reliable transportation (10.6% vs 7.4%) are higher too. 17.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD, obesity and heart disease run high in Big Stone Gap
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.2%), vs 6.2% across Virginia. 44.2% of adults have obesity, vs 34.5% across Virginia. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.6%, vs 6.1% across Virginia. In all, Big Stone Gap runs above Virginia on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Big Stone Gap
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (18.9%), vs 12.2% across Virginia. Habits ↓
Big Stone Gap has a top-rated hospital
Lonesome Pine Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. 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 Virginia figure falls outside Big Stone Gap’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Big Stone Gap’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Stone Gap is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns, #234 of 253 in Virginia. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 23% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Big Stone Gap’s median household income is $54,581; among the 7,292 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 23%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.4% of Big Stone Gap adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Out of every 100 Big Stone Gap adults…
Big Stone Gap runs above VA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
2.5 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Care in and near Big Stone Gap
1 hospital in Big Stone Gap, 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 Big Stone Gap; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Big Stone Gap adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Big Stone Gap adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Big Stone Gap runs above Virginia.
2 in 5 Big Stone Gap 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.
Big Stone Gap and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Stone Gap | D | 44.2% | 14% | 18.9% | CDC place |
| Big Stone Gap East | — | — | — | — |
Big Stone Gap East: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Big Stone Gap adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Big Stone Gap
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Big Stone Gap is better than Virginia on 0 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Big Stone Gap’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Big Stone Gap | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.6%20–28 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%13.9–18.5 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.7%17.4–22.5 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 44.2%36.8–53.2 | 34.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14%12.2–16.4 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.6%36.4–45.7 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.6%33.6–42.4 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.2%26.1–32.9 | 26.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.7 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8%7.2–8.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.7–8.6 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.2%7.8–10.7 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14%11.4–17 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.9%15.7–22.6 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.4%25.3–36.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.1–18.5 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.7%30.6–43.3 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.8%9.2–14.7 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%73.1–81.2 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.3%56.9–63.8 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83%80.1–85.5 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.4%70.2–76.5 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.3%60.2–70.3 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.2%65.8–80.1 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.7%21.2–29.1 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.6%32.4–43.1 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%20.6–28.3 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19%15.4–23 | 13.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.8%12.2–17.5 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.3%8.8–12 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.6%8.9–12.4 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.4%14.1–21 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.6%32.7–43.6 | 30% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%14.4–19.6 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.7%16.1–21.6 | 14% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–9 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.2%5.4–7.2 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.5%9–12.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.1–5.5 | 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 Big Stone Gap
Is Big Stone Gap a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Big Stone Gap is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns: ≈ D for health, #234 of 253 in Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 23%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Big Stone Gap?
CDC estimates 44.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.8% and 53.2%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Big Stone Gap?
Lonesome Pine Hospital in Big Stone Gap, 1.4 miles in a straight line from Big Stone Gap’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Big Stone Gap have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.2–14.7%), 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 Big Stone Gap 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 Big Stone Gap.
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.