Oakley · Photo: Wikipelli · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Lake Wilderness is healthier than 25%
Lake Wilderness differs from Virginia on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lake Wilderness. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lake Wilderness
Against towns with similar incomes, Lake Wilderness’ lead shrinks
Lake Wilderness is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns, but 25% of the 5,647 towns with similar household incomes ($91K–$151K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Heart disease and stroke are less common in Lake Wilderness
Lake Wilderness runs below Virginia on heart disease (4.7% vs 6.1%), stroke (2.6% vs 3.3%) and diabetes (10.1% vs 12.5%). 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 Lake Wilderness’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Lake Wilderness’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Wilderness is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns, #137 of 253 in Virginia. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 79% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 24%).
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). Lake Wilderness’ median household income is $120,700; among the 5,647 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($91K–$151K), it’s healthier than 25%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Virginia towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Lake Wilderness is healthier than 46% of graded towns, against 63% nationally.
Out of every 100 Lake Wilderness adults…
Lake Wilderness runs below VA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Lake Wilderness
No hospital or community health center in Lake Wilderness 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 Lake Wilderness; ≈ 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.
2.3 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Lake Wilderness adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Lake Wilderness adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Lake Wilderness 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.
8.7% of Lake Wilderness adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Lake Wilderness and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Wilderness | B | 39.6% | 10.1% | 13.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lake Wilderness adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lake Wilderness
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lake Wilderness is better than Virginia on 7 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Lake Wilderness’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lake Wilderness | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.6%14–19.3 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.7–14.1 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.7–20.4 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.6%32.6–47.1 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.1%8.7–11.6 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.7%27.9–35.6 | 35.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.4%30.4–38.4 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23%20.2–26 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.4 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.1–5.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.3%4.5–6.2 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.3–2.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.6%6.1–9.4 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.5%10.9–16.2 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.3%18.3–26.7 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.5%14.3–20.8 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.2%32.5–44.1 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.5%6.8–10.4 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.7%71.5–79.3 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.7%71.7–77.5 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86%83.6–88 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.6%68–74.6 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.8%62.3–71 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.5%71.7–84.2 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.9%21.3–28.8 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.2%29.1–39.2 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.4%18–25 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.6%9.3–14.1 | 13.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.6%8.7–12.7 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.5–7.8 | 7.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%5.8–8.1 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.7%6.8–10.8 | 10.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.5%23.4–32 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11%9.3–12.8 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.9%12.8–17.1 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.5–5.9 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.2%6.2–8.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3.3 | 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 Lake Wilderness
Is Lake Wilderness a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Wilderness is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #137 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 Lake Wilderness?
CDC estimates 39.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.6% and 47.1%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lake Wilderness?
Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, 13.2 miles in a straight line from Lake Wilderness’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lake Wilderness have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–10.4%), 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 Lake Wilderness 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 Lake Wilderness.
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.