Photo: User: Kubigula · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Suffolk is healthier than 24%
Suffolk trails Virginia on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Suffolk. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Suffolk
Making ends meet is harder in Suffolk
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (16.5%), vs 13.1% across Virginia. Utility shut-off threats (9.8% vs 7.1%) and housing insecurity (14.1% vs 10.9%) are higher too. 14.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Suffolk trails towns with similar incomes
Suffolk is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns, and only 24% of the 9,615 towns with similar household incomes ($69K–$116K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Obesity and arthritis run high in Suffolk
2 in 5 adults have obesity (42.4%), vs 34.5% across Virginia. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (30.5%), vs 26.2% across Virginia. In all, Suffolk runs above Virginia on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Suffolk has a top-rated hospital
Sentara Obici Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Suffolk’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Suffolk’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Suffolk is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns, #189 of 253 in Virginia. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 63% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Suffolk’s median household income is $92,666; among the 9,615 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$116K), it’s healthier than 24%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Virginia towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Suffolk is healthier than 25% of graded towns, against 42% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.9% of Suffolk adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Out of every 100 Suffolk adults…
Suffolk runs above VA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Suffolk
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Suffolk, 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 Suffolk; ≈ 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.
287 miles of trails across 28 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Suffolk adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Suffolk adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Suffolk 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.
Suffolk and the towns around it
Suffolk’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk | C+ | 42.4% | 14% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Portsmouth | C− | 40.3% | 16.1% | 16.5% | CDC place |
| Chesapeake | B− | 40.1% | 12.9% | 12.9% | CDC place |
| Newport News | C | 40.7% | 13.5% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Carrsville | — | — | — | — |
Carrsville: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Suffolk adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Suffolk
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Suffolk is better than Virginia on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Suffolk’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Suffolk | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.8%17.4–22.3 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12–15.3 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%15–19.1 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.4%35.5–49.9 | 34.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14%12.2–16 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.7%35.6–43.9 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.8%35.5–44.2 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.5%27.2–33.9 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.4–13.3 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.2%6.5–7.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.5%9.4–13.8 | 11.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.4%11.6–15.4 | 12.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.1%22.1–30.4 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13%10.6–15.8 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.3%34.8–45.8 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.4%7.2–9.6 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.1%77.7–84.1 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.4%63.2–69.6 | 67.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.2%86.6–89.7 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.8%74.9–80.5 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.4%66.1–74.6 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.3%75.5–86.3 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.4%18.2–24.9 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.9%29.1–38.9 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.1%19.9–26.7 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.5%14.4–18.7 | 13.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.1%12.3–16.1 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.8%8.6–11.1 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.2%8.2–10.3 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.9%13.1–16.8 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.5%27.5–35.7 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15%13.2–17 | 13.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%13.1–16.4 | 14% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.9–5.8 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.8–9.6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 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 Suffolk
Is Suffolk a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Suffolk is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #189 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 Suffolk?
CDC estimates 42.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.5% and 49.9%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Suffolk?
Sentara Obici Hospital in Suffolk, 6.1 miles in a straight line from Suffolk’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Suffolk have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–9.6%), 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 Suffolk more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Suffolk.
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.