Photo: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Tazewell is healthier than 76%
Tazewell differs from Virginia on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Tazewell. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Tazewell
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Tazewell
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.5%), vs 6.2% across Virginia. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 6.1% across Virginia. Stroke is also above the state: 4.7%, vs 3.3% across Virginia. In all, Tazewell runs above Virginia on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Tazewell is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Tazewell’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Depression is more common in Tazewell
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (26.9%), vs 21.8% across Virginia. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.4%, vs 15.9% across Virginia. Mind & connection ↓
More high blood pressure in Tazewell, and more people treating it
42.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Virginia 35.4%), but 80.3% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
Tazewell is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Tazewell is healthier than 15%. Against the 1,191 towns with similar household incomes ($26K–$43K), it’s healthier than 76%. 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 Tazewell’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Tazewell’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tazewell is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns, #229 of 253 in Virginia. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 30% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Tazewell’s median household income is $34,618; among the 1,191 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($26K–$43K), it’s healthier than 76%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Tazewell compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.3% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Tazewell adults…
Tazewell runs above VA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Tazewell
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Tazewell, 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 Tazewell; ≈ 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).
How Tazewell adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Tazewell runs above Virginia.
1 in 3 Tazewell 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 Tazewell adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.6% of Tazewell adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Tazewell and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tazewell | C− | 39.7% | 15.6% | 16.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Tazewell adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Tazewell
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Tazewell is better than Virginia on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Tazewell’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Tazewell | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.2%21.1–27.2 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.3–19.4 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.4–20.5 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.7%32.1–47.4 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.6%13.6–17.7 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.9%38.6–47.1 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.4%37.9–46.9 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 36%32.4–39.6 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.3–13.1 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.3–11.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%8–10 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.5%9.2–11.8 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.2–5.1 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.5%13.6–19.6 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.9%14.5–19.4 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.1%25.7–34.8 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.2%10.7–16 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.1%32.7–45.4 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.2%7.7–10.9 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.9%77.5–84 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.8%59.2–66.1 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87%85.2–88.6 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.3%77.5–82.7 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.2%63.4–72.4 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.2%65.3–79.8 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.9%23–30.8 | 21.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35%29.8–40.4 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.5%17.3–23.8 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.1%12.8–17.5 | 13.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.2%9.5–12.9 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.7–8.8 | 7.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.3%7.2–9.4 | 7.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.6%12.4–16.9 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40%35.5–44.6 | 30% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.2%17.7–22.7 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.3%15.4–19.4 | 14% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.4–10.6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.7–12.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 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 Tazewell
Is Tazewell a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tazewell is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #229 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 Tazewell?
CDC estimates 39.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.1% and 47.4%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Tazewell?
Carilion Tazewell Community Hospital in Tazewell, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Tazewell’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Tazewell have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–10.9%), 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 Tazewell 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 Tazewell.
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.