Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Richlands is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns
Richlands trails Virginia on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Richlands. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Richlands
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Richlands
1 in 8 adults have COPD (12.9%), about twice the Virginia rate. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (9.6%), vs 6.1% across Virginia. Stroke is also above the state: 5.1%, vs 3.3% across Virginia. In all, Richlands runs above Virginia on ten of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Richlands
55.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67.9% across Virginia. Among those 65 and older, 20.6% have lost all their teeth (Virginia 11.1%). Richlands’ county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
Richlands is in the bottom 3% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Richlands is healthier than only 3% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
More Richlands adults live with a disability
43.8% of adults live with a disability, vs 30% across Virginia. The biggest difference is trouble walking: 22.6% vs 13.5%. Disability ↓
Richlands is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Richlands is healthier than 3%. Against the 1,664 towns with similar household incomes ($28K–$46K), it’s healthier than 25%. 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 Richlands’ likely range.
What’s behind Richlands’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Richlands is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns, #251 of 253 in Virginia. All seven of Richlands’ estimates fall in the lowest 10% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is physical distress: 19.5% of adults, against 12.8% across Virginia and 13% nationally.
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). Richlands’ median household income is $37,154; among the 1,664 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($28K–$46K), it’s healthier than 25%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Richlands adults…
Richlands runs above VA on 11 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Richlands is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Virginia. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Richlands as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Richlands adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Richlands adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Care in and near Richlands
1 hospital in Richlands, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Richlands; ≈ 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.
4.3 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Richlands adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Richlands runs above Virginia.
4 in 10 Richlands 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.
21.6% of Richlands adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Richlands and the towns around it
Richlands’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richlands | D− | 42.7% | 16.9% | 21.5% | CDC place |
| Raven | D− | 43.2% | 18.3% | 22.4% | CDC place |
| Doran | — | — | — | — | |
| Cedar Bluff | D | 41.3% | 16.3% | 19.4% | CDC place |
Doran: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Every CDC estimate for Richlands
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Richlands is better than Virginia on 0 and worse on 24; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Richlands’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Richlands | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.7%25.3–32.3 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%17.4–22 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21%18.6–23.4 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.7%34.8–50.5 | 34.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16.9%14.8–19.2 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43.4%39–47.6 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.2%37.8–46.6 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 36.1%32.5–39.6 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.3%10.9–13.8 | 10.4% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.4–10.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.6%8.6–10.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.9%11.3–14.5 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.6%16.9–24.4 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.5%18.5–24.7 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.1%29.1–39.2 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.4%10.8–16.2 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41%34.5–47.5 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11%9–13.1 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.3%75.6–82.5 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.7%51.9–59.2 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.7%81.6–85.7 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%75.9–81.2 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.8%55.5–65.5 | 67.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.8%63.6–78.7 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.5%25.3–33.7 | 21.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 36%30.9–41.3 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%17.7–24.3 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.3%17.4–23.4 | 13.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.8%11.8–15.9 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.1%8.8–11.6 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.8%9.4–12.1 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.6%18.6–24.8 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.8%39.1–48.8 | 30% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.6%20–25.4 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.7%18.3–23.3 | 14% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10%8.9–11.2 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.8%6.9–8.6 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.4%11.9–15 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 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 Richlands
Is Richlands a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Richlands is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #251 of 253 in Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 25%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Richlands?
CDC estimates 42.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.8% and 50.5%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Richlands?
Clinch Valley Medical Center in Richlands, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Richlands’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Richlands have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9–13.1%), 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 Richlands more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Richlands.
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.