Bellevue Rural Historic District (Additional Documentation) · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Forest is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Forest differs from Virginia on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Forest. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Forest
Forest is short on primary care and dental care
Forest’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and dental care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Cancer runs high in Forest
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.5%), vs 7.7% across Virginia. Conditions ↓
Fewer Forest adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Virginia. 1 in 11 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 Forest’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Forest’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forest is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #118 of 253 in Virginia. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 84% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 61%.
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). Forest’s median household income is $81,552; among the 10,677 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$102K), it’s healthier than 85%, about where its income would put it.
Most Virginia towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Forest is healthier than 54% of graded towns, against 76% nationally.
Care in and near Forest
No hospital or community health center in Forest 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 Forest; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Forest adults…
Forest 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 Forest 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.
14 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Forest adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Forest adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
3 in 10 Forest 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.
Forest and the towns around it
Forest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | A− | 34.6% | 11.4% | 10.6% | CDC place |
| Lynchburg | B− | 37.1% | 11.9% | 12.9% | CDC place |
| Timberlake | B | 33.1% | 11.9% | 13% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Forest adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Forest
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Forest is better than Virginia on 7 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Forest’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Forest | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.7%13.3–18.2 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.6–14 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.6–17.8 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.6%27.7–41.5 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.4%9.8–13.1 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.6%29.7–37.4 | 35.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.7%34.5–43 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28%24.9–31.1 | 26.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.1–11.8 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.1%5.1–7.1 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.7%5.4–8.2 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.6%8.7–12.9 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.9%18.9–27.2 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.5–18.3 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33%27.5–39 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.3%5–7.8 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.1%75.7–82.4 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.8%70.8–76.7 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.4%86.6–90.1 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.3%75.4–80.9 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.7%67.3–75.8 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75%67.7–81.5 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%19.9–27 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.4%25.9–35.5 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.4%15.4–21.6 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.8%7.1–10.7 | 13.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.6%6.3–9 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5%4.2–5.9 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.7–6.5 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.8%5.4–8.4 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.2%25–33.6 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.6%10.7–14.6 | 13.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.7%10.9–14.8 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6–7.7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.4–4.4 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%5.9–8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.6–3.4 | 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 Forest
Is Forest a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forest is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health, #118 of 253 in Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 85%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Forest?
CDC estimates 34.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.7% and 41.5%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Forest?
Centra Health - Lynchburg Gen Hospital in Lynchburg, 6.6 miles in a straight line from Forest’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Forest have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5–7.8%), 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 Forest 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 Forest.
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.