Earhart House · Photo: Skye Marthaler · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Merrimac is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns
Merrimac differs from Virginia on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Merrimac. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Merrimac
Merrimac is older than Virginia, yet healthier on chronic conditions
Merrimac runs below Virginia on obesity (26.1% vs 34.5%) and diabetes (10.3% vs 12.5%). That’s despite an older population: 35% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%). Conditions ↓
Cancer runs high in Merrimac
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.7%), vs 7.7% across Virginia. Age is part of it: 35% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Merrimac adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing and utility bills all run below Virginia. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Merrimac’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
What’s behind Merrimac’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Merrimac is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns, #96 of 253 in Virginia. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 94% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 72%.
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). Merrimac’s median household income is $53,611; among the 7,001 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 99%, about where its income would put it.
Most Virginia towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Merrimac is healthier than 62% of graded towns, against 85% nationally.
Out of every 100 Merrimac adults…
Merrimac runs below VA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Merrimac is an older town: 35% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Virginia. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Merrimac as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.8% of Merrimac adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Care in and near Merrimac
No hospital or community health center in Merrimac 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 Merrimac; ≈ 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.
0.4 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Merrimac adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Merrimac adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Merrimac 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.
Merrimac and the towns around it
Merrimac has the best Health Grade of the 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrimac | A− | 26.1% | 10.3% | 9.7% | CDC place |
| Blacksburg | A− | 24.8% | 5.7% | 10.1% | CDC place |
| Christiansburg | A− | 29.5% | 10.1% | 12.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Merrimac adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Merrimac
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Merrimac is better than Virginia on 7 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Merrimac’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Merrimac | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.2%13.2–19.9 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.2–14.5 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.2–18.1 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.1%20.8–32 | 34.5% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10.3%8.7–12.2 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33.3%29.7–37 | 35.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37%33.2–41 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.9%23–28.8 | 26.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.6–11.1 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.7%8.6–10.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%5.7–8.1 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.2%4.9–8.1 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%2.8–4.2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.5%11.8–17.7 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.7%7.5–12.1 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22.2%17.7–27.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.2%12.6–18 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.4%24.5–34.6 | 36% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.4%6.5–10.9 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.7%74.2–80.9 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.9%64.6–71.1 | 67.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.3%82.7–87.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.4%75–79.6 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.9%67.4–76 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.4%72.8–84.9 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.3%19.1–25.7 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.1%29–39.4 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.2%16–22.8 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.1%7.8–12.7 | 13.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8%6.4–9.8 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.1%4.2–6.1 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.2–7.7 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.8%5.9–10 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.5%26–35.7 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.3%10.7–16.5 | 13.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%11.6–16.9 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7–9.6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%3.7–5.7 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.3–9.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.4–3.8 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Merrimac
Is Merrimac a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Merrimac is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #96 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 Merrimac?
CDC estimates 26.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.8% and 32%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Merrimac?
Lewisgale Hospital Montgomery in Blacksburg, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Merrimac’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Merrimac have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–10.9%), 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 Merrimac more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Merrimac.
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.