Vestal's Gap Road and Lanesville Historic District · Photo: Cecouchman · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Sterling is healthier than 31%
Sterling differs from Virginia on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sterling. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sterling
Against towns with similar incomes, Sterling’s lead shrinks
Sterling is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns, but 31% of the 5,264 towns with similar household incomes ($92K–$154K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Every town around Sterling scores healthier
All five graded neighbors are ahead of Sterling’s B+, from Sugarland Run (A−) to Oak Grove (A+). Around town ↓
Many Sterling adults are uninsured, but health holds up
1 in 6 working-age adults has no health insurance (15.6%, vs 8.7% across Virginia). Yet the share who say their health is fair or poor, 20%, is about level with the state’s 18.1%. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Sterling
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (16.4%), vs 13.1% across Virginia. Housing insecurity (13.4% vs 10.9%) is higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Cancer and COPD are less common in Sterling
Sterling runs below Virginia on five chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.4% vs 7.7%), COPD (4.7% vs 6.2%) and arthritis (20.6% vs 26.2%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (Virginia 17%). Conditions ↓
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 Sterling’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Sterling’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns, #129 of 253 in Virginia. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 80% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 45%).
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). Sterling’s median household income is $123,303; among the 5,264 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($92K–$154K), it’s healthier than 31%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Virginia towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Sterling is healthier than 49% of graded towns, against 69% nationally.
Sterling and the towns around it
Sterling’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling | B+ | 32.4% | 11.4% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| Dulles Town Center | A | 31.3% | 8.9% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Oak Grove | A+ | 24.8% | 8.1% | 6.8% | CDC place |
| Cascades | A+ | 28% | 8.8% | 7.7% | CDC place |
| Ashburn | A+ | 27.6% | 9.4% | 7.6% | CDC place |
| Sugarland Run | A− | 31.2% | 10.7% | 10.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sterling adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.6% of Sterling adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Out of every 100 Sterling adults…
Sterling runs below VA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Sterling residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Virginia. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Sterling
No hospital or community health center in Sterling 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 Sterling; ≈ 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.
13 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Sterling adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Sterling 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sterling adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sterling
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sterling is better than Virginia on 6 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Sterling’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sterling | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%17.7–22.5 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%11.2–14.2 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.3–17 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.4%27.2–37.9 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.4%9.9–12.9 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.5%27.3–33.9 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%32.2–39.6 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.6%18.2–23 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.2–10.4 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.4%4.9–5.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.8%4.2–5.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.1%9.1–13.4 | 11.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.3%9.7–13 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.3%22.7–30.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.9%11.5–16.6 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.2%28.9–37.9 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.6%13.4–18 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.3%72.7–79.6 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.2%63.1–69.5 | 67.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%84.2–87.7 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73%69.8–76 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.2%57.9–66.6 | 67.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.1%68.7–81.2 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.9%16.1–21.8 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.7%31.1–40.3 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.2%20.1–26.5 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.4%14.1–18.8 | 13.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.4%11.6–15.4 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.4–8.4 | 7.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.6%9.1–12.3 | 10.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29%25.5–32.7 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.9%10.4–13.5 | 13.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%13–16.3 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.7–6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.6–5.5 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.3–7.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%3–3.6 | 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 Sterling
Is Sterling a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #129 of 253 in Virginia. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sterling?
CDC estimates 32.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.2% and 37.9%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sterling?
Reston Hospital Center in Reston, 3.8 miles in a straight line from Sterling’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sterling have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.4–18%), 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 Sterling more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Sterling.
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.