Gate City Historic District · Photo: Betcantrell · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Gate City is healthier than 86%
Gate City differs from Virginia on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gate City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gate City
COPD, cancer and heart disease run high in Gate City
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9%), vs 6.2% across Virginia. 1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.3%), vs 7.7% across Virginia. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.1%, vs 6.1% across Virginia. In all, Gate City runs above Virginia on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Gate City, and more people treating it
40% of adults have high blood pressure (Virginia 35.4%), but 80% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
Gate City is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Gate City is healthier than 37%. Against the 3,305 towns with similar household incomes ($32K–$54K), it’s healthier than 86%. Health Grade ↓
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 Gate City’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Gate City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gate City is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 50% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 22%).
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). Gate City’s median household income is $42,857; among the 3,305 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($32K–$54K), it’s healthier than 86%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Gate City compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Gate City adults…
Gate City runs above VA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gate City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Care in and near Gate City
No hospital or community health center in Gate City 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 Gate City; ≈ 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.
2.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Gate City adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Gate City runs above Virginia.
1 in 3 Gate City 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11% of Gate City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Gate City and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gate City | C+ | 36.7% | 14.1% | 14.8% | CDC place |
| Weber City | D | 38.9% | 18.8% | 18.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gate City adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gate City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gate City is better than Virginia on 1 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Gate City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gate City | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.5%17–24.3 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.2–17.9 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15–20.1 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.7%29.1–45.1 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12–16.3 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40%35.9–44.5 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42%37.3–46.6 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34%30.3–37.7 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.4%10–12.9 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.3–11.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.1–9.2 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9%7.3–10.7 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.7 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.9%12.1–18 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.8%11.7–18.3 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.2%21.2–31.6 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.9%11.3–16.9 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.8%29.5–42.3 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.5%5.6–9.7 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.7%77.2–83.9 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65%61.2–68.6 | 67.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%85.5–89.7 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80%77.1–82.6 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.2%60–69.9 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74%65.9–80.8 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.6%22.7–30.7 | 21.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 31.6%26.6–36.8 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.6%15.5–22.1 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.9%9.4–14.9 | 13.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.3%7.5–11.4 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.5–7.9 | 7.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6–8.5 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11%8.6–14 | 10.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.5%30.4–40.9 | 30% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.3%14.5–20.4 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.8%13.4–18.4 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.6–9.9 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.4–6.2 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%7.8–11 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.6–5 | 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 Gate City
Is Gate City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gate City is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gate City?
CDC estimates 36.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.1% and 45.1%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gate City?
Indian Path Community Hospital in Kingsport, 7.4 miles in a straight line from Gate City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Gate City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–9.7%), 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 Gate City more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gate City.
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.