Photo: Dadadata · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Cape Charles is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns
Cape Charles differs from Virginia on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cape Charles. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cape Charles
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Cape Charles
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.3%), vs 6.2% across Virginia. 1 in 9 adults have heart disease (11.1%), vs 6.1% across Virginia. Stroke is also above the state: 5.7%, vs 3.3% across Virginia. In all, Cape Charles runs above Virginia on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Cape Charles, and more people treating it
49.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Virginia 35.4%), but 85.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
In Cape Charles, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 8.2% of working-age adults are uninsured (Virginia 8.7%), yet 24.4% say their health is fair or poor, vs 18.1% across the state. Checkups ↓
The nearest ER is 25 miles from Cape Charles
The closest emergency room is Sentara Careplex Hospital in Hampton, 25 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Eastern Shore Rural Health System, Incorporated is closer (7.7 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. 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 Cape Charles’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Cape Charles’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cape Charles is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 81% of U.S. towns); diabetes 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). Cape Charles’ median household income is $73,750; among the 10,820 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$92K), it’s healthier than 21%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Cape Charles compares well: binge drinking, 10.5% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 84.7% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 91.4% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 Cape Charles adults…
Cape Charles runs above VA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Cape Charles is an older town: 38% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Virginia. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Cape Charles as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Cape Charles adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Care in and near Cape Charles
No hospital or community health center in Cape Charles 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 Cape Charles; ≈ 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.
9.6 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Cape Charles adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
3 in 10 Cape Charles 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.
13.3% of Cape Charles adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Cape Charles and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Charles | C | 39.1% | 19.5% | 14.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cape Charles adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cape Charles
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cape Charles is better than Virginia on 5 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Cape Charles’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cape Charles | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.4%20.2–29.1 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%14.9–20.4 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%12.8–17.2 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.1%30.8–47.2 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 19.5%16.5–22.4 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 49.5%44.5–54.4 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 48.4%43.5–53.3 | 38% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 39.8%35.4–44 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.8–12.7 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.6%11.3–14 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.1%9.5–12.8 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.3%9.1–13.8 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.8%11.2–16.6 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.8%11.5–18.4 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.9%25.1–37.2 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 10.5%8.3–12.7 | 14.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.6%25.5–38.2 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.2%6.2–10.6 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.7%81.7–87.3 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.6%64.3–70.9 | 67.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.4%89.9–92.7 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 85.6%82.9–87.9 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.6%68.9–78 | 67.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.8%70.4–84.1 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22%18.5–25.7 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.7%24.7–34.9 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.9%16.5–23.4 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.1%11–17.4 | 13.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8–11.9 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.2%5.9–8.5 | 7.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.5%6.3–8.9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.3%10.2–16.5 | 10.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.9%33.2–44.9 | 30% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.6%18.7–26.8 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.3%11.9–16.9 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.7%9.1–12.2 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%5.6–7.9 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.1%8.4–12.1 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%4.5–6.5 | 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 Cape Charles
Is Cape Charles a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cape Charles is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 21%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cape Charles?
CDC estimates 39.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.8% and 47.2%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cape Charles?
Sentara Careplex Hospital in Hampton, 25.0 miles in a straight line from Cape Charles’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Cape Charles have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.2–10.6%), 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 Cape Charles 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 Cape Charles.
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.