Photo: Nyttend · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Gretna is healthier than 65%
Gretna differs from Virginia on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 20 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gretna. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gretna
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Gretna
1 in 8 adults have COPD (12.9%), about twice the Virginia rate. 1 in 15 adults have had a stroke (6.8%), about twice the Virginia rate. Heart disease is also above the state: 11.7%, vs 6.1% across Virginia. In all, Gretna runs above Virginia on nine of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 34% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%), and COPD, stroke and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Gretna adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (38.7%), vs 23.8% across Virginia. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Gretna
55% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67.9% across Virginia. Among those 65 and older, 18.8% have lost all their teeth (Virginia 11.1%). Gretna’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
Gretna is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Gretna is healthier than 10%. Against the 1,034 towns with similar household incomes ($25K–$42K), it’s healthier than 65%. 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 Gretna’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Gretna’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gretna is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 48% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Gretna’s median household income is $33,698; among the 1,034 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($25K–$42K), it’s healthier than 65%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Gretna compares well: binge drinking, 9.6% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 84.3% (U.S. 77.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 84.4% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Gretna adults…
Gretna runs above VA on 11 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Gretna is an older town: 34% 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 Gretna as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Gretna adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Care in and near Gretna
No hospital or community health center in Gretna 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 Gretna; ≈ 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).
How Gretna adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Gretna 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.
22.1% of Gretna adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Gretna and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gretna | D | 41.7% | 20.6% | 17.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gretna adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gretna
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gretna is better than Virginia on 3 and worse on 20; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Gretna’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gretna | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.9%25.4–34.6 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.2%16.5–22 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15.1–19.4 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.7%35.4–48.1 | 34.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 20.6%18–23.3 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 51.2%47.1–55.1 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 45.6%41.5–49.9 | 38% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 39.8%36.2–43.3 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.4 | 10.4% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.3%10–12.6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.7%10.1–13.4 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.9%10.5–15.4 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.8%5.8–7.8 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.8%15.6–22.2 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.4%14.5–20.6 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 38.7%33.1–44.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 9.6%7.8–11.6 | 14.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36%30.7–41.4 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.8%8.4–13.4 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.3%81.6–86.8 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55%51.3–58.3 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88%86.1–89.7 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.4%82.3–86.3 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.3%62.4–71.6 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.9%69–81.9 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.7%18.6–25.1 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.1%30.2–40.5 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.4%19.8–27.4 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.2%18.6–26.2 | 13.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15%12.7–17.6 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.8%9.2–12.5 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.3%9.6–13.1 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22.1%18.3–26 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 45.8%40.6–50.9 | 30% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 27.3%23.1–31.3 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18%15.5–20.9 | 14% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.7%10.1–13.4 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.1%7.7–10.8 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.9%11.6–16.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.9%5.8–8.2 | 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 Gretna
Is Gretna a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gretna is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D 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 Gretna?
CDC estimates 41.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.4% and 48.1%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gretna?
Sovah Health Danville in Danville, 25.8 miles in a straight line from Gretna’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gretna have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.4–13.4%), 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 Gretna more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gretna.
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.