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Fries, VAPhoto: Doug Kerr (Flickr user Dougtone) · CC BY-SA 2.0
–Not graded
Health in Fries · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Fries residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Fries, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fries. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Fries

COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Fries

1 in 7 adults have COPD (14%), more than twice the Virginia rate. 1 in 8 adults have heart disease (12.1%), about twice the Virginia rate. Stroke is also above the state: 6.1%, vs 3.3% across Virginia. In all, Fries runs above Virginia on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 37% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

More Fries adults get no exercise

1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (35.7%), vs 23.8% across Virginia. Habits ↓

Dental care lags in Fries

57.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67.9% across Virginia. Among those 65 and older, 21.2% have lost all their teeth (Virginia 11.1%). Checkups ↓

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 Fries’ likely range.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Fries adults…

Fries runs above VA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

14 of every 100 Fries adults have COPD
Virginia: 6 in 100 · worse · likely 11.5–16.8%
Better than VAWorseAbout the sameVirginia
Why age matters here

Fries is an older town: 37% 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 Fries as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Fries37%
Virginia17%
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia

Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.

Get no exercise 35.7%VA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 35.5%VA 36%
Binge drink 11.1%VA 14.5%
Smoke cigarettes 19.2%VA 12.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Fries, betterFries, worseAbout the sameVirginia
Where Fries gets moving

0.6 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Fries adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.

82%Yearly checkupVA 79%
57%Dentist visitVA 68%
88%Cholesterol checkVA 88%
68%Colon screeningVA 67%
70%MammogramVA 79%
84%Taking BP medsVA 77%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Fries 11.1% · Virginia 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Getting care

Care in and near Fries

1 community health center in Fries, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERTwin County Regional HospitalGalax · 4.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyWythe County Community Hospital★★★★★ · 17.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careTri-Area Community HealthFries · 0.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.5 mi
Tri-Area Community Health
4 sites · nearest in Fries
Sliding-scale feesIn Fries
Directions to nearest
4.2 mi
Twin County Regional Hospital
Galax · ★★★★★
ER
16.1 mi
Alleghany Memorial Hospital
Sparta · not rated
ERRural critical access
17.7 mi
Wythe County Community Hospital
Wytheville · ★★★★★
ER
18 mi
Appalachian District Health Center - Alleghany County
Sparta · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
25.6 mi
Northern Regional Hospital
Mount Airy · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Fries itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Fries itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Fries itself

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 Fries; ≈ 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).

Mind & connection

How Fries adults are doing

About the same as Virginia on each measure.

1 in 3Fries adults feel lonely
34.1% · VA 33.8% · About the same as VA
1 in 5Fries adults lack social or emotional support
21% · VA 21.6% · About the same as VA
1 in 4Fries adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.4% · VA 21.8% · About the same as VA
1 in 6Fries adults are in frequent mental distress
17.8% · VA 15.9% · About the same as VA
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Fries adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6
Fries adults worry about having enough food
17.2% · VA 13.1%
Worse than VA
1 in 9
Fries adults worry about keeping their housing
11% · VA 10.9%
About the same as VA
1 in 13
Fries adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.6% · VA 7.1%
About the same as VA
1 in 11
Fries adults lack reliable transportation
8.8% · VA 7.4%
About the same as VA

16.9% of Fries adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.

Around town

Fries and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

44.7%

of Fries adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs25%
Thinking or memory18.4%
Hearing12.6%
Errands alone12.8%
Vision7.8%
Dressing or bathing6.1%
Virginia

Questions about health in Fries

Why doesn’t Fries have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Fries.

What hospital is closest to Fries?

Twin County Regional Hospital in Galax, 4.2 miles in a straight line from Fries’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

Where can I get low-cost care near Fries?

1 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Tri-Area Community Health at Fries in Fries, 0.5 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fries.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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. 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.