Photo: Mbinebri / Matthew Binebrink · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Chincoteague is healthier than 69%
Chincoteague differs from Virginia on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Chincoteague. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chincoteague
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Chincoteague
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.6%), vs 7.7% across Virginia. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.5%), vs 6.1% across Virginia. COPD is also above the state: 9.6%, vs 6.2% across Virginia. In all, Chincoteague runs above Virginia on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%), and cancer, heart disease and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Chincoteague is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Chincoteague is healthier than 47%. Against the 9,578 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 69%. Health Grade ↓
The nearest ER is 27 miles from Chincoteague
The closest emergency room is Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital in Onancock, 26.6 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Eastern Shore Rural Health System, Incorporated is closer (1.8 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
More high blood pressure in Chincoteague, and more people treating it
45.6% of adults have high blood pressure (Virginia 35.4%), but 83.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
Fewer Chincoteague adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Virginia. 1 in 10 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 Chincoteague’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Chincoteague’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chincoteague is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns, #178 of 253 in Virginia. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 82% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Chincoteague’s median household income is $62,917; among the 9,578 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 69%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Virginia towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Chincoteague is healthier than 30% of graded towns, against 47% nationally.
Where Chincoteague compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 6.9% (U.S. 11%); checkup in the past year, 83.2% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 90.4% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 Chincoteague adults…
Chincoteague runs above VA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Chincoteague 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 Chincoteague as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Chincoteague
1 community health center in Chincoteague, 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 Chincoteague; ≈ 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 Chincoteague 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.
9.2% of Chincoteague adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
4.3 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Chincoteague adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Chincoteague does better than Virginia.
3 in 10 Chincoteague 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.
Chincoteague and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chincoteague | B− | 35.2% | 15.5% | 13.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Chincoteague adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chincoteague
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chincoteague is better than Virginia on 9 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Chincoteague’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chincoteague | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.6%17.5–23.7 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.1–17.3 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%12.9–16.8 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%29.1–41.6 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.5%13.4–17.7 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.6%41.3–49.8 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 46.7%42.5–51 | 38% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.7%34–41.5 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–12.1 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.6%11.5–13.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.5%8.4–10.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.6%8.1–11.2 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.1%9.9–14.6 | 11.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%10.7–15.7 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.9%22.3–31.4 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.3%10.1–14.9 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.5%25.1–36.7 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.6–8.5 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.2%80.3–85.8 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.1%62.7–69.4 | 67.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.4%89–91.7 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.7%81.2–86 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.8%67–75.9 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.6%67.3–81.3 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.5%19.3–25.9 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.8%25.4–34.8 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.5%14.7–20.7 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.1%8.1–12.3 | 13.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.7%6.3–9.2 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.4%4.5–6.3 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6%5.1–6.9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.2%7.4–11.3 | 10.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35%30.3–39.5 | 30% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.2%15.5–21 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.7–15.6 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10%8.8–11.3 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.5–5.9 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.5–9.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.6–4.8 | 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 Chincoteague
Is Chincoteague a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chincoteague is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #178 of 253 in Virginia. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chincoteague?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.1% and 41.6%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chincoteague?
Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital in Onancock, 26.6 miles in a straight line from Chincoteague’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chincoteague have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–8.5%), 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 Chincoteague 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 Chincoteague.
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.