Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Sandston is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns
Sandston differs from Virginia on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sandston. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sandston
Making ends meet is harder in Sandston
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (20.2%), vs 13.1% across Virginia. Utility shut-off threats (11.3% vs 7.1%) and housing insecurity (17.2% vs 10.9%) are higher too. 18.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mental distress runs high in Sandston
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (19.3%), vs 15.9% across Virginia. Lack of emotional support is above the state too: 25.6%, vs 21.6% across Virginia. Mind & connection ↓
Dental care lags in Sandston
60.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67.9% across Virginia. Among those 65 and older, 15.8% have lost all their teeth (Virginia 11.1%). Checkups ↓
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 Sandston’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Sandston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sandston is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns, #220 of 253 in Virginia. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 36% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 15%).
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). Sandston’s median household income is $59,238; among the 8,728 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 34%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Sandston compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.9% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.4% of Sandston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
How Sandston adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Sandston runs above Virginia.
4 in 10 Sandston 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sandston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Out of every 100 Sandston adults…
Sandston runs below VA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Sandston
No hospital or community health center in Sandston 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 Sandston; ≈ 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.
1.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Sandston and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sandston adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sandston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sandston is better than Virginia on 1 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Sandston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sandston | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.4%20.9–26.4 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.6–17.1 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.3%17.3–21.5 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.5%32.7–44.5 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.4%12.7–16.4 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40%36.3–43.7 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.3%31.7–39.1 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.3%25.5–31.4 | 26.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.7–13.6 | 10.4% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.9%6.3–7.6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8%7.1–9 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.7–4.4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.8%13.1–18.8 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.1%14.9–19.7 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.6%23.9–32 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.2%10.8–15.7 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.7%35.9–45.7 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.7%9.1–12.5 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%76.1–82.3 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.2%56.8–63.5 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86%84.2–87.8 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.3%74.3–80 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.6%62.2–70.8 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.6%70.2–82.2 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%20.3–26.7 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.2%32.4–41.8 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.6%22.1–29 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.2%17.6–23.1 | 13.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.2%14.9–19.6 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.3%9.8–12.8 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.8%9.5–12.1 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.4%15.9–21 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.7%32.9–41 | 30% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.1%15.2–19.3 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.8%15.9–19.9 | 14% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.8–7.3 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.2%5.6–6.8 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.3%9.3–11.5 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.3–5.2 | 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 Sandston
Is Sandston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sandston is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #220 of 253 in Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 34%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sandston?
CDC estimates 38.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.7% and 44.5%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sandston?
Bon Secours Richmond Community Hospital in Richmond, 5.4 miles in a straight line from Sandston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Sandston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.1–12.5%), 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 Sandston 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 Sandston.
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.