Photo: Smash the Iron Cage · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Blacksburg is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Blacksburg differs from Virginia on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Blacksburg. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Blacksburg
Mental distress runs high in Blacksburg
22.3% of adults are in frequent mental distress, vs 15.9% across Virginia. Depression is above the state too: 27.1%, vs 21.8% across Virginia. Mind & connection ↓
Blacksburg is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Blacksburg is healthier than 80%. Against the 5,857 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 99%. Health Grade ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Blacksburg doesn’t win on
18.1% of adults binge drink, vs 14.5% across Virginia, even though fewer of them smoke. Habits ↓
Cancer and diabetes are less common in Blacksburg
Blacksburg runs below Virginia on nine chronic conditions, most of all cancer (3.3% vs 7.7%), diabetes (5.7% vs 12.5%) and arthritis (12% vs 26.2%). A young population is part of it: only 8% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%). Conditions ↓
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 Blacksburg’s likely range.
What’s behind Blacksburg’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Blacksburg is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #108 of 253 in Virginia. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 2%).
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 $50,182; among the 5,857 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$63K), it’s healthier than 99%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Virginia towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Blacksburg is healthier than 58% of graded towns, against 80% nationally.
How Blacksburg adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Blacksburg runs above Virginia.
2 in 5 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.
Out of every 100 Blacksburg adults…
Blacksburg runs below VA on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of Blacksburg residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Virginia. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
35 miles of trails across 32 parks and preserves
Care in and near Blacksburg
1 hospital in Blacksburg, 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 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Blacksburg adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.1% of Blacksburg adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Blacksburg and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg | A− | 24.8% | 5.7% | 10.1% | CDC place |
| Merrimac | A− | 26.1% | 10.3% | 9.7% | CDC place |
| Prices Fork | — | — | — | — |
Prices Fork: 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 Blacksburg adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). 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 Virginia on 11 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Virginia 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 | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.3%14.2–18.4 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 12.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.3%19.9–24.7 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.8%19.7–30.3 | 34.5% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 5.7%4.9–6.4 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 20.2%17.6–22.9 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 24.7%21.8–27.8 | 38% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 12%10.6–13.6 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.4–11.9 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.3%3–3.6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3%2.7–3.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.6%1.4–1.7 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.8%10.5–15.5 | 11.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.1%8.7–11.7 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.1%17.6–24.6 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15–21.4 | 14.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.3%28–38.8 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.5–10.5 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.9%66.6–74.9 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.8%56.1–63.4 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 70.6%67.3–73.8 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 53.9%51.6–56.3 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.2%61.4–70.6 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.4%70.4–83.3 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.1%23.5–30.8 | 21.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 41.2%36–46.7 | 33.8% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%18.8–25.6 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.4%15.1–20.2 | 13.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.3%9.7–13.1 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%6.9–9.2 | 7.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.1%10.7–13.6 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.1%12.1–16.4 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.5%26.5–34.4 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.8%18.6–23 | 14% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.3%3.8–4.8 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.4–5.3 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.7–10.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.2–2.6 | 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 Blacksburg
Is Blacksburg a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Blacksburg is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #108 of 253 in Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. 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 24.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.7% and 30.3%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Blacksburg?
Lewisgale Hospital Montgomery in Blacksburg, 3.3 miles in a straight line from Blacksburg’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Blacksburg have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–10.5%), 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 Blacksburg 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 Blacksburg.
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.