Photo: self · CC BY 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Wakefield is healthier than 44%
Wakefield differs from Virginia on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 22 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wakefield. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wakefield
Against towns with similar incomes, Wakefield’s lead shrinks
Wakefield is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns, but 44% of the 511 towns with similar household incomes ($178K–$297K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Wakefield is an active town
Only 16.6% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across Virginia. The town has 13 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Obesity and COPD are less common in Wakefield
Wakefield runs below Virginia on five chronic conditions, most of all obesity (22% vs 34.5%), COPD (4.1% vs 6.2%) and stroke (2.6% vs 3.3%). Conditions ↓
Few Wakefield adults smoke
6.8% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 12.2% across Virginia. Habits ↓
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 Wakefield’s likely range.
What’s behind Wakefield’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wakefield is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns, #32 of 253 in Virginia. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 78%.
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). Wakefield’s median household income is $237,975; among the 511 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($178K–$297K), it’s healthier than 44%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
13 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Wakefield adults…
Wakefield runs below VA on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Wakefield
No hospital or community health center in Wakefield 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 Wakefield; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Wakefield adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Wakefield adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Wakefield does better than Virginia.
3 in 10 Wakefield 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.
3.4% of Wakefield adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Wakefield and the towns around it
Wakefield has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefield | A+ | 22% | 10.2% | 6.8% | CDC place |
| Long Branch | A+ | 21% | 11% | 6.7% | CDC place |
| Annandale | B+ | 26.3% | 13.5% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Woodburn | A+ | 24% | 10.2% | 7.9% | CDC place |
| Ravensworth | A+ | 22.1% | 10.5% | 7.6% | CDC place |
| Kings Park | A+ | 23.1% | 9.9% | 7.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wakefield adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wakefield
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wakefield is better than Virginia on 22 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Wakefield’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wakefield | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.6%10–13.4 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.8%8.6–11.2 | 12.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.7–12.5 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22%18.6–26 | 34.5% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.9–11.7 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.8%27.8–34 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.5%37.1–44.2 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.4%21.9–27.2 | 26.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9%8–10.1 | 10.4% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.7–10.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.8–6.1 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.1%3.5–4.8 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.3–2.8 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4%3.2–4.9 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6.8%5.5–8.2 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.6%14–19.6 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11.6–16 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.4%29–35.9 | 36% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.8%4–5.7 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80%77.3–82.7 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.7%75.4–79.9 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.9%90.7–93 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79%76.1–81.8 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.4%66.9–73.8 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.2%76.1–85.6 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.3%16–21 | 21.8% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 29.9%26.2–34.1 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.6%16–21.5 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.7%4.7–6.8 | 13.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.1%4.3–6.1 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.2%2.7–3.8 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.7%3.2–4.2 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.4%2.7–4.2 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.5%18.8–24.7 | 30% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.3%8–10.8 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9%7.8–10.3 | 14% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.8%2.5–3.2 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.6%4–5.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.1%1.8–2.4 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Wakefield
Is Wakefield a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wakefield is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #32 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 Wakefield?
CDC estimates 22% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.6% and 26%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wakefield?
Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, 3.7 miles in a straight line from Wakefield’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wakefield have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4–5.7%), 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 Wakefield more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Wakefield.
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.