Photo: IxieVerns · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Rural Retreat is healthier than 63%
Rural Retreat trails Virginia on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rural Retreat. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rural Retreat
Cancer, COPD and heart disease run high in Rural Retreat
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.6%), vs 7.7% across Virginia. 1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.5%), vs 6.2% across Virginia. Heart disease is also above the state: 8%, vs 6.1% across Virginia. In all, Rural Retreat runs above Virginia on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Rural Retreat is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Rural Retreat is healthier than 42%. Against the 9,400 towns with similar household incomes ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 63%. 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 Rural Retreat’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Rural Retreat’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rural Retreat is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 51% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 34%).
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). Rural Retreat’s median household income is $61,979; among the 9,400 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 63%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Rural Retreat adults…
Rural Retreat runs above VA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Rural Retreat
No hospital or community health center in Rural Retreat 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 Rural Retreat; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Rural Retreat adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Rural Retreat adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Rural Retreat 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.
10.1% of Rural Retreat adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Rural Retreat and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rural Retreat | C+ | 37.6% | 13.1% | 14.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Rural Retreat adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rural Retreat
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rural Retreat is better than Virginia on 0 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Rural Retreat’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rural Retreat | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.9%16.8–23.4 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13–17.4 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%14.9–19.4 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.6%29.7–46.5 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.2–15.1 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39%34.7–43.6 | 35.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.2%36.8–46.1 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.3%29.7–37.1 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.4 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.5–11.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%6.9–9 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.5%7.1–10.1 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.5–4.5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13%10.5–15.9 | 11.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.7%11.9–17.8 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.8%21–31 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%11.8–17.7 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33%27–39.6 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.5%5.8–9.6 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.1%76.5–83.4 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.5%62–68.8 | 67.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88%85.8–89.8 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.4%76.5–82.1 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.3%64.5–73.8 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.4%64–79.7 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.8%21.2–28.8 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.5%27.6–38.2 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.7%15.5–22.3 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.1%8.6–13.9 | 13.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9%7.2–11 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.1–7.6 | 7.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.7%5.6–7.9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.1%7.6–12.8 | 10.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.7%29.7–39.8 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.6%14–19.4 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%12.9–17.5 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.8%7.6–10 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.3–5.7 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%7.5–10.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.3–4.5 | 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 Rural Retreat
Is Rural Retreat a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rural Retreat is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rural Retreat?
CDC estimates 37.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.7% and 46.5%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rural Retreat?
Wythe County Community Hospital in Wytheville, 10.6 miles in a straight line from Rural Retreat’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Rural Retreat have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–9.6%), 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 Rural Retreat more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Rural Retreat.
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.