Photo: self · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Wattsville is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns
Wattsville differs from Virginia on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wattsville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wattsville
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Wattsville
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.3%), vs 6.2% across Virginia. 1 in 24 adults have had a stroke (4.1%), vs 3.3% across Virginia. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.4%, vs 6.1% across Virginia. In all, Wattsville runs above Virginia on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Wattsville
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (16.8%), vs 13.1% across Virginia. Utility shut-off threats (9.1% vs 7.1%) and housing insecurity (13.6% vs 10.9%) are higher too. 15.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Wattsville adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (28.5%), vs 23.8% 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 Wattsville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Wattsville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wattsville is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 49% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Wattsville’s median household income is $69,380; among the 10,464 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($52K–$87K), it’s healthier than 34%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Wattsville compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Wattsville adults…
Wattsville runs above VA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.5% of Wattsville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Care in and near Wattsville
No hospital or community health center in Wattsville 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 Wattsville; ≈ 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 Wattsville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Wattsville adults are doing
About the same as Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Wattsville 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.
Wattsville and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wattsville | C | 38.2% | 14.7% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| Atlantic | — | — | — | — |
Atlantic: 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 Wattsville adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wattsville
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wattsville is better than Virginia on 1 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Wattsville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wattsville | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.2%19.4–24.9 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%13–16.5 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.8–20 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.2%32.1–44.9 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.7%12.9–16.6 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.4%37.6–45.5 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.5%36.6–44.5 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.6%27.6–34 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.2 | 10.4% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.5–9.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.6–8.2 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.8%14.7–21.2 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%12.7–17.2 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.5%24.5–32.9 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.5%11.1–16.2 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.1%29.3–41.5 | 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 | 80.6%77.4–83.6 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.9%59.4–66.3 | 67.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.1%85.4–88.7 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.7%77.1–82.2 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70%64.9–74.7 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.3%67.7–81.8 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%19.7–26.4 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35%30.4–40.2 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%19.3–26.2 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.8%14.3–19.3 | 13.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.6%11.7–15.5 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.1%7.9–10.4 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.2%8–10.4 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.5%13.2–17.8 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.5%30.4–38.7 | 30% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%14.8–19 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.4%14.4–18.4 | 14% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.6–8.2 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.5 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.6–10.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 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 Wattsville
Is Wattsville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wattsville is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. 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 Wattsville?
CDC estimates 38.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.1% and 44.9%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wattsville?
Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital in Onancock, 20.2 miles in a straight line from Wattsville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wattsville 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 Wattsville 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 Wattsville.
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.