Photo: US Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified · Public domainWithin Virginia, Chesapeake is healthier than 35% of graded towns
Chesapeake trails Virginia on 1 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Chesapeake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chesapeake
What’s behind Chesapeake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chesapeake is healthier than 54% of U.S. towns, #165 of 253 in Virginia. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 68% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Chesapeake’s median household income is $95,373; among the 9,240 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$119K), it’s healthier than 37%, less than its income alone would suggest.
At 255,332 residents, Chesapeake is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Out of every 100 Chesapeake adults…
On every condition, Chesapeake is about the same as Virginia. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Chesapeake
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Chesapeake, 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 Chesapeake; ≈ 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.
145 miles of trails across 70 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Chesapeake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Chesapeake adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Chesapeake 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.
12.1% of Chesapeake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Chesapeake and the towns around it
Chesapeake’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake | B− | 40.1% | 12.9% | 12.9% | CDC place |
| Portsmouth | C− | 40.3% | 16.1% | 16.5% | CDC place |
| Virginia Beach | B+ | 36.5% | 11.8% | 12.1% | CDC place |
| Suffolk | C+ | 42.4% | 14% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Norfolk | C+ | 39.9% | 12.4% | 13.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Chesapeake adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chesapeake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chesapeake is better than Virginia on 0 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Chesapeake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chesapeake | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.9%16.8–21.2 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.5–14.6 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.9–18.7 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.1%34.4–45.9 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11.4–14.7 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.5%33–40.2 | 35.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.3%31.6–39.1 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.5%23.7–29.4 | 26.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.6 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.1%6.5–7.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3.1–3.6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.7%7.9–11.6 | 11.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.9%11.2–14.7 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.9%19.6–26.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.6–17.9 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.8%34.2–43.4 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.2%7.1–9.4 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.5%77.4–83.4 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.8%65.8–71.5 | 67.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.5%86–89.1 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%74.2–79.6 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.8%65.6–73.7 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.3%73.3–84.4 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22%19–25.4 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.9%28.5–37.6 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%18.6–24.8 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.3%12.4–16.2 | 13.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.2%10.6–13.9 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.3–9.5 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%7.2–9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.1%10.6–13.7 | 10.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.8%26.3–33.5 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.9%12.3–15.6 | 13.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.9–16 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.7%5.1–6.4 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.4–5.2 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%7.1–8.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Chesapeake
Is Chesapeake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chesapeake is healthier than 54% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #165 of 253 in Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 37%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chesapeake?
CDC estimates 40.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.4% and 45.9%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chesapeake?
Chesapeake General Hospital in Chesapeake, 5.6 miles in a straight line from Chesapeake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chesapeake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–9.4%), 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 Chesapeake more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Chesapeake.
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.