Photo: Mojo Hand · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Bowling Green is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns
Bowling Green differs from Virginia on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bowling Green. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bowling Green
Stroke, COPD and heart disease run high in Bowling Green
1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.8%), vs 3.3% across Virginia. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (9%), vs 6.2% across Virginia. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.8%, vs 6.1% across Virginia. In all, Bowling Green runs above Virginia on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Bowling Green adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.3%), vs 23.8% across Virginia. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Bowling Green, and more people treating it
43.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Virginia 35.4%), but 82% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Bowling Green’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Bowling Green’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bowling Green is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 60% of U.S. towns); diabetes 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). Bowling Green’s median household income is $82,500; among the 10,586 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($62K–$103K), it’s healthier than 17%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Bowling Green compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Bowling Green adults…
Bowling Green runs above VA on 9 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bowling Green adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Care in and near Bowling Green
1 community health center in Bowling Green, 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 Bowling Green; ≈ 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 Bowling Green adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Bowling Green 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.
12.2% of Bowling Green adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Bowling Green and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green | C | 40.2% | 15.8% | 14.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bowling Green adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bowling Green
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bowling Green is better than Virginia on 1 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Bowling Green’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bowling Green | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22%18.9–25.1 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%13.7–17.6 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.5–18.5 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.2%31.8–48.6 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.8%13.6–17.9 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43.9%39.3–48.3 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43%38.3–47.6 | 38% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 34.7%30.9–38.4 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%9.9–12.7 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.3–11.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.8%7.7–9.8 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9%7.7–10.2 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.7%11.2–16.9 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.5%12.1–16.8 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.3%24.3–34.1 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.7%10.3–15.5 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.9%31–44.2 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.2–10.8 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.5%78.3–84.6 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64%60.8–67.8 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.8%87.1–90.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82%79.4–84.3 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.7%64.2–73.7 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77%70.4–83.8 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.2–26.4 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.2%29.1–39.5 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.4%19.1–26 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14%11.7–16.4 | 13.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11%9.3–12.8 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.3%6.3–8.4 | 7.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.7–8.8 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.2%10–14.4 | 10.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.7%31.8–41.3 | 30% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.1%16.4–21.6 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.4%13.3–17.5 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%8–10.1 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.4–10.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4–5.1 | 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 Bowling Green
Is Bowling Green a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bowling Green is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 17%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bowling Green?
CDC estimates 40.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.8% and 48.6%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bowling Green?
Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center in Fredericksburg, 14.1 miles in a straight line from Bowling Green’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bowling Green have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–10.8%), 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 Bowling Green 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 Bowling Green.
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.