Starkey School · Photo: Molly Cardenas · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Cave Spring is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Cave Spring differs from Virginia on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cave Spring. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cave Spring
Cancer runs high in Cave Spring
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.8%), vs 7.7% across Virginia. Conditions ↓
Fewer Cave Spring adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Virginia. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Cave Spring’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Cave Spring’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cave Spring is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #105 of 253 in Virginia. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 85% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 62%.
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). Cave Spring’s median household income is $87,539; among the 10,199 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($66K–$109K), it’s healthier than 86%, about where its income would put it.
Most Virginia towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Cave Spring is healthier than 59% of graded towns, against 81% nationally.
Out of every 100 Cave Spring adults…
Cave Spring runs below VA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.8% of Cave Spring adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Care in and near Cave Spring
No hospital or community health center in Cave Spring 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 Cave Spring; ≈ 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.
3.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Cave Spring adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Cave Spring adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Cave Spring 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.
Cave Spring and the towns around it
Cave Spring has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cave Spring | A− | 33.1% | 11.3% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Roanoke | C− | 41.9% | 14.9% | 16.7% | CDC place |
| Salem | B | 35% | 12.3% | 12.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cave Spring adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cave Spring
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cave Spring is better than Virginia on 10 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Cave Spring’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cave Spring | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15%13–17 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.9–14 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.3–16.9 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.1%27.2–39 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.3%9.7–12.9 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35%31.1–38.6 | 35.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%34.5–42.6 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.6%25.5–31.7 | 26.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.2%9–11.5 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.8%8.9–10.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.7–7.1 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.1%5.3–6.9 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.5%6.9–10.5 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%8.9–12.1 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.8%17.3–24.2 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14%11.4–16.8 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.7%26–36.2 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.3%5.3–7.4 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81%77.5–83.8 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.3%71.5–77.2 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%87.8–90.8 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.4%76.3–82 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.9%66.6–75.3 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.8%72.5–84.7 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%20.8–27.8 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.2%27–35.6 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19%16.3–22 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.6%7.3–10.2 | 13.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.5%6.4–8.8 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.9%4.2–5.7 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.3%4.7–6.1 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.8%5.7–8.1 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27%23.4–30.5 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.4%10.6–14.1 | 13.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.4%10.9–13.9 | 14% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 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 Cave Spring
Is Cave Spring a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cave Spring is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #105 of 253 in Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cave Spring?
CDC estimates 33.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.2% and 39%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cave Spring?
Lewisgale Medical Center in Salem, 2.9 miles in a straight line from Cave Spring’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Cave Spring have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–7.4%), 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 Cave Spring 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 Cave Spring.
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.