Photo: ChrisalaneJonesWiki · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Louisa is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns
Louisa trails Virginia on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Louisa. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Louisa
Stroke, COPD and heart disease run high in Louisa
1 in 23 adults have had a stroke (4.4%), vs 3.3% across Virginia. 1 in 13 adults have COPD (8%), vs 6.2% across Virginia. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.7%, vs 6.1% across Virginia. In all, Louisa runs above Virginia on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
The nearest ER is 24 miles from Louisa
The closest emergency room is Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, 24.1 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Central Virginia Health Services is closer (1.6 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Louisa is short on primary care and dental care
Louisa’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care and dental care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Louisa is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Louisa is healthier than 38%. Against the 9,956 towns with similar household incomes ($49K–$81K), it’s healthier than 53%. 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 Louisa’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Louisa’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Louisa is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 56% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Louisa’s median household income is $65,132; among the 9,956 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$81K), it’s healthier than 53%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Louisa adults…
Louisa runs above VA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Louisa
No hospital or community health center in Louisa 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 Louisa; ≈ 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.
0.6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Louisa adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Louisa adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Louisa 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.
13.8% of Louisa adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Louisa and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisa | C+ | 36.7% | 14.2% | 14.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Louisa adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Louisa
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Louisa is better than Virginia on 0 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Louisa’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Louisa | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.5%18.2–25 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%12.9–17.2 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%14.9–19.3 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.7%28.9–44.9 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.2–16.3 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.1%36–44.4 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.7%35.3–44.2 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.9%27.5–34.4 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%10–12.8 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8.1–10 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.7%6.7–8.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8%6.6–9.5 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.8–5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21%17.3–24.8 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%11.7–17 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.2%22.3–32.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.3%11–16.1 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.4%31.7–45.3 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.7%7.8–12.1 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.3%77.1–83.4 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.6%59–66.1 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.2%85.2–89.1 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.3%76.7–81.7 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.6%61.4–71.5 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.7%67.9–82.5 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%19.2–26.2 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.1%29.9–40.7 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%18.5–25.7 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.6%12.7–18.9 | 13.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.6%10.5–14.9 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.3%7–9.7 | 7.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.7%7.4–10.1 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.8%11.1–16.8 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.4%31.6–41.3 | 30% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.6%15–20.4 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%13.7–18.4 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7–9.3 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.1–6.8 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.3–11.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.8–5.1 | 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 Louisa
Is Louisa a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Louisa is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 53%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Louisa?
CDC estimates 36.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.9% and 44.9%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Louisa?
Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, 24.1 miles in a straight line from Louisa’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Louisa have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–12.1%), 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 Louisa more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Louisa.
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.