William Gunnell House · Photo: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Great Falls is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Great Falls differs from Virginia on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 25 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Great Falls. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Great Falls
Great Falls is an active town
Only 14.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across Virginia. The town has 47 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
COPD and obesity are less common in Great Falls
Great Falls runs below Virginia on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (3.5% vs 6.2%), obesity (20.8% vs 34.5%) and stroke (2.3% vs 3.3%). Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Great Falls’ lead shrinks
Great Falls is healthier than 99% of U.S. towns, but 74% of the 436 towns with similar household incomes ($188K–$313K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Few Great Falls adults smoke
5.4% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 12.2% across Virginia. 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 Great Falls’ likely range.
What’s behind Great Falls’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Great Falls is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #9 of 253 in Virginia. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 84%.
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). Great Falls’ median household income is $250,001; among the 436 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($188K–$313K), it’s healthier than 74%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
47 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Great Falls adults…
Great Falls runs below VA on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Great Falls
No hospital or community health center in Great Falls 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 Great Falls; ≈ 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 Great Falls adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Great Falls adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, Great Falls does better than Virginia.
3 in 10 Great Falls 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.
2.4% of Great Falls adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Great Falls and the towns around it
Great Falls has the best Health Grade of the 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls | A+ | 20.8% | 9.7% | 5.4% | CDC place |
| McLean | A+ | 21.1% | 10.1% | 5.8% | CDC place |
| Great Falls Crossing | A+ | 21% | 9.7% | 5.6% | CDC place |
| Wolf Trap | A+ | 21.7% | 10.1% | 6.2% | CDC place |
| Dranesville | A+ | 23% | 9.4% | 6.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Great Falls adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Great Falls
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Great Falls is better than Virginia on 25 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Great Falls’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Great Falls | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10%8.6–11.5 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.9%7.8–10.1 | 12.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.1%8.9–11.4 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 20.8%17.5–24.6 | 34.5% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.4–11.1 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.1%27.1–33.3 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.8%37.4–44.5 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.8%21.3–26.4 | 26.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 8.8%7.8–9.9 | 10.4% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.7%8.8–10.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.5%3–4.1 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 3%2.4–3.7 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 5.4%4.5–6.5 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 14.4%12.1–16.9 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 13.6%11.6–16 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.4%27.2–33.8 | 36% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.5%3–4.3 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.7%78–83.3 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 80.8%78.7–82.8 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.5%91.5–93.5 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.6%76.6–82.3 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.7%68.2–75 | 67.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.8%76.9–86 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.9%15.6–20.5 | 21.8% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 28.8%25.1–32.7 | 33.8% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.1%14.6–19.9 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 4.3%3.5–5.3 | 13.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 4%3.3–4.8 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 2.6%2.2–3 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 2.4%1.9–3.1 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 19.3%16.7–22 | 30% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.1%7–9.3 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 7.9%6.9–9 | 14% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.7–6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.4%2.2–2.7 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4%3.5–4.5 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.8%1.6–2 | 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 Great Falls
Is Great Falls a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Great Falls is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #9 of 253 in Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 74%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Great Falls?
CDC estimates 20.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 17.5% and 24.6%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Great Falls?
Reston Hospital Center in Reston, 4.8 miles in a straight line from Great Falls’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Great Falls have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3–4.3%), 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 Great Falls more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Great Falls.
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.