On CDC estimates, Fairlawn is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Fairlawn differs from Virginia on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fairlawn. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fairlawn
Fairlawn is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fairlawn is healthier than 78%. Against the 10,183 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 95%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Fairlawn
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 7.7% across Virginia. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.6%), vs 26.2% across Virginia. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fairlawn keeps up with checkups
It beats Virginia on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (71.9% vs 67.9%) and cholesterol checks (90.1% vs 87.5%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Fairlawn 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 Fairlawn’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Fairlawn’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairlawn is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 84% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 49%).
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). Fairlawn’s median household income is $66,918; among the 10,183 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 95%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Fairlawn adults…
Fairlawn runs below VA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Fairlawn is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Virginia. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Fairlawn as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fairlawn 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.
6.5% of Fairlawn adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Care in and near Fairlawn
No hospital or community health center in Fairlawn 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 Fairlawn; ≈ 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.
How Fairlawn adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Fairlawn does better than Virginia.
3 in 10 Fairlawn 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.
Fairlawn and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fairlawn adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fairlawn
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fairlawn is better than Virginia on 11 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Fairlawn’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fairlawn | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.7%12.7–19.2 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%10.9–15.1 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%12.7–17 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32%25.4–39.4 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.3–14.2 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.9%32.8–41.3 | 35.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.7%38.2–47.2 | 38% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.6%28.1–35.4 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.7 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%9.9–12.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.1–8.2 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.8%5.3–8.4 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%2.9–4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.6%5.2–8.2 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11%8.5–14.1 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.9%17.7–27 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14%11.5–16.9 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.1%28.1–40.4 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.2%4.6–8.1 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.5%78.3–84.4 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.9%68.7–74.9 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.1%88.3–91.8 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.7%77.8–83.3 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73%68.4–77.4 | 67.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.8%73–85.5 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.4%19–26.2 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.3%25.4–35.3 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18%14.7–21.4 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.3%6.1–10.8 | 13.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7%5.4–8.7 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.6%3.7–5.5 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.1%4.1–6.2 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.5%4.7–8.6 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.7%25.1–34.9 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.8%11.2–16.7 | 13.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%10.3–14.6 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.5–8.7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.2–4.6 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%5.6–8.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.5–3.7 | 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 Fairlawn
Is Fairlawn a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairlawn is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fairlawn?
CDC estimates 32% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.4% and 39.4%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fairlawn?
Carilion New River Valley Medical Center in Christiansburg, 4.1 miles in a straight line from Fairlawn’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fairlawn have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.6–8.1%), 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 Fairlawn 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 Fairlawn.
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.