Photo: Idawriter · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Merrifield is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Merrifield differs from Virginia on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 23 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Merrifield. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Merrifield
COPD and stroke are less common in Merrifield
Merrifield runs below Virginia on ten chronic conditions, most of all COPD (2.8% vs 6.2%), stroke (1.6% vs 3.3%) and heart disease (3.1% vs 6.1%). A young population is part of it: only 9% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%). Conditions ↓
Merrifield ranks #3 for health in Virginia
Out of 253 Virginia towns with a Health Grade, Merrifield is #3 on the seven CDC estimates behind it. Nationally it’s healthier than 99% of towns. Health Grade ↓
Merrifield is an active town
Only 16.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across Virginia. Habits ↓
Few Merrifield adults smoke
7.1% 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 Merrifield’s likely range.
What’s behind Merrifield’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Merrifield is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #3 of 253 in Virginia. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than almost every town); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 95%.
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). Merrifield’s median household income is $136,373; among the 3,903 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($102K–$170K), it’s healthier than 99%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Merrifield adults…
Merrifield runs below VA on 12 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 9% of Merrifield residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Virginia. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
0.6 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Care in and near Merrifield
No hospital or community health center in Merrifield 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 Merrifield; ≈ 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 Merrifield adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Merrifield adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Merrifield does better than Virginia.
1 in 3 Merrifield 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.
5.4% of Merrifield adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Merrifield and the towns around it
Merrifield 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrifield | A+ | 21.8% | 7.6% | 7.1% | CDC place |
| Oakton | A+ | 22.2% | 9.2% | 6.9% | CDC place |
| Dunn Loring | A+ | 21.7% | 9.7% | 6.7% | CDC place |
| Idylwood | A+ | 23.6% | 9.5% | 8.7% | CDC place |
| Woodburn | A+ | 24% | 10.2% | 7.9% | CDC place |
| Fairfax | A | 31.2% | 11% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| West Falls Church | A− | 26.2% | 11.2% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Mantua | A+ | 22.3% | 10.5% | 7.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Merrifield adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Merrifield
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Merrifield is better than Virginia on 23 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Merrifield’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Merrifield | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.3%9.8–12.9 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 12.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11.3–14.4 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 21.8%18.4–25.6 | 34.5% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.6%6.6–8.7 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 22%19.6–24.6 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.5%28.5–34.7 | 38% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 14.6%12.9–16.4 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.7%7.7–9.8 | 10.4% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.4%4–4.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 2.8%2.4–3.1 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.6%1.5–1.8 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5%4–6.1 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.1%6–8.3 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.7%14.3–19.4 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16%13.6–18.7 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.6%31.1–38.2 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.7%5.7–7.9 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.8%70.4–77.1 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.5%72–77 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.9%85.2–88.5 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.4%64.2–70.6 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.3%61.5–68.9 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.8%75.7–85.2 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19%16.6–21.7 | 21.8% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 34%29.9–38.1 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.7%18.8–24.7 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.8%7.3–10.3 | 13.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.6%6.5–8.9 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.6%3.9–5.3 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.4%4.5–6.4 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 19%16.7–21.7 | 30% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.5%9.3–11.9 | 14% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.6%3.2–4 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.9%2.6–3.1 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.7%1.6–1.9 | 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 Merrifield
Is Merrifield a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Merrifield is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #3 of 253 in Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Merrifield?
CDC estimates 21.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.4% and 25.6%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Merrifield?
Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, 2.4 miles in a straight line from Merrifield’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Merrifield have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.7–7.9%), 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 Merrifield 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 Merrifield.
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.