Photo: Ser Amantio di Nicolao · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Gainesville is healthier than 36%
Gainesville beats Virginia on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gainesville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gainesville
Against towns with similar incomes, Gainesville’s lead shrinks
Gainesville is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, but 36% of the 1,544 towns with similar household incomes ($131K–$218K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Gainesville
Gainesville runs below Virginia on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4% vs 6.2%), heart disease (4% vs 6.1%) and stroke (2.3% vs 3.3%). A young population is part of it: only 10% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%). Conditions ↓
Fewer Gainesville 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 ↓
Gainesville is an active town
Only 19.6% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across Virginia. The town has 17 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
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 Gainesville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Gainesville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gainesville is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, #77 of 253 in Virginia. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 94% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 79%.
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). Gainesville’s median household income is $174,410; among the 1,544 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($131K–$218K), it’s healthier than 36%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Virginia towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Gainesville is healthier than 70% of graded towns, against 91% nationally.
Out of every 100 Gainesville adults…
Gainesville runs below VA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Gainesville residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Virginia. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.9% of Gainesville 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.
17 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Gainesville
No hospital or community health center in Gainesville 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 Gainesville; ≈ 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 Gainesville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Gainesville adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Gainesville 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.
Gainesville and the towns around it
Gainesville’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville | A | 31.2% | 9.7% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Linton Hall | A | 31.3% | 8.7% | 9.7% | CDC place |
| Haymarket | A | 31.6% | 8.9% | 11.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gainesville adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gainesville
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gainesville is better than Virginia on 18 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Gainesville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gainesville | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.5%11.8–15.6 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.3%9.2–11.9 | 12.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.9–16.6 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.2%26.8–37.3 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.5–11.3 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.9%27–34 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.7%32.4–39.9 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.3%18.1–23.3 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.6–11 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6%5.4–6.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4%3.6–4.6 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4%3.5–4.6 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.9%5.6–8.4 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.2%8.8–12.1 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.6%16.8–23.2 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.4–19.2 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.6%32.4–40.9 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.9–8.2 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.2%76.3–82.7 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.2%69.4–74.8 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.8%87.3–90.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.9%70.8–77.6 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.8%59.5–67.8 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.9%71.9–83.1 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.7%18.1–24.4 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.4%28.3–36.8 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%17.8–23.8 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.8%8.4–11.6 | 13.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.9%7.6–10.4 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%4.8–6.5 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.8%5–6.6 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.9%5.8–8.2 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.3%21.4–28 | 30% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.5%8.4–11.2 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.4%10.2–13.1 | 14% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.5%4–5.2 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.6%5–6.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.2–2.7 | 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 Gainesville
Is Gainesville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gainesville is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns: A for health, #77 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 Gainesville?
CDC estimates 31.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.8% and 37.3%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gainesville?
UVA Health Haymarket Medical Center in Haymarket, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Gainesville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gainesville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.9–8.2%), 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 Gainesville more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gainesville.
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.