Bentivar · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Hampden-Sydney is healthier than 22%
Hampden-Sydney differs from Virginia on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hampden-Sydney. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hampden-Sydney
Against towns with similar incomes, Hampden-Sydney’s lead shrinks
Hampden-Sydney is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns, but 22% of the 2,477 towns with similar household incomes ($116K–$193K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
More Hampden-Sydney adults lack emotional support
1 in 3 adults lack social or emotional support (31.3%), vs 21.6% across Virginia. Loneliness is above the state too: 44.7%, vs 33.8% across Virginia. Mind & connection ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Hampden-Sydney doesn’t win on
18.7% of adults binge drink, vs 14.5% across Virginia. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Hampden-Sydney is short on dental care and mental health care
Hampden-Sydney’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Cancer and arthritis are less common in Hampden-Sydney
Hampden-Sydney runs below Virginia on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (2.7% vs 7.7%), arthritis (11.5% vs 26.2%) and diabetes (6% vs 12.5%). A young population is part of it: only 6% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%). Conditions ↓
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 Hampden-Sydney’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A+.
What’s behind Hampden-Sydney’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hampden-Sydney is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Hampden-Sydney’s median household income is $154,565; among the 2,477 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($116K–$193K), it’s healthier than 22%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Hampden-Sydney adults…
Hampden-Sydney runs below VA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 6% of Hampden-Sydney residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Virginia. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
How Hampden-Sydney adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Hampden-Sydney runs above Virginia.
4 in 10 Hampden-Sydney 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
Care in and near Hampden-Sydney
No hospital or community health center in Hampden-Sydney 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 Hampden-Sydney; ≈ 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 Hampden-Sydney adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.8% of Hampden-Sydney adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Hampden-Sydney and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampden-Sydney | A− | 32.4% | 6% | 8.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hampden-Sydney adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hampden-Sydney
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hampden-Sydney is better than Virginia on 9 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Hampden-Sydney’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hampden-Sydney | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.7%11.7–25.9 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.4%7.3–12.2 | 12.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.7%15.6–25 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.4%24.7–40.5 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 6%5.1–7.1 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 24.3%20.5–28.5 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 22.3%19.4–25.9 | 38% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 11.5%10–13.1 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10%8.5–11.7 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 2.7%2.5–3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3%2.6–3.4 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.4%2.8–4.3 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.7%1.5–2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.4%8.3–12.8 | 11.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.7%5.8–12.8 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.8%13.7–28.1 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.7%15.2–22.7 | 14.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.5%35.1–50.2 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.3%5.5–18.9 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.4%68.2–78 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.1%54.9–63.3 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 71.7%62.3–78.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 49.5%46.6–53.1 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.8%66.9–76.4 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.2%67.2–82 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.3%15.9–23 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 44.7%37.8–52.3 | 33.8% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.3%24–39.1 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.2%10.9–32.6 | 13.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.9%9.1–22 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.4%6.2–12.5 | 7.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.1%9.1–20.9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.8%7.2–22.8 | 10.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.5%24.2–43.6 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.1%5.8–9.1 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.6%13.5–28 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.6%3.1–4.2 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%3.4–7.2 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%5.9–12.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%1.9–3.3 | 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 Hampden-Sydney
Is Hampden-Sydney a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hampden-Sydney is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− 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 Hampden-Sydney?
CDC estimates 32.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.7% and 40.5%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hampden-Sydney?
Southside Community Hospital in Farmville, 6.1 miles in a straight line from Hampden-Sydney’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hampden-Sydney have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–18.9%), 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 Hampden-Sydney more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Hampden-Sydney.
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.