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D−Health Grade
Health in Bluewell · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Bluewell is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns

Bluewell trails West Virginia on 2 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bluewell. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Bluewell

Bluewell is in the bottom 3% of U.S. towns for health

On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Bluewell is healthier than only 3% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓

COPD runs high in Bluewell

1 in 8 adults have COPD (12.7%), vs 10.6% across West Virginia. Age is part of it: 54% of residents are 65 or older (West Virginia 21%), and COPD is more common later in life. Conditions ↓

Bluewell is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Bluewell is healthier than 3%. Against the 1,278 towns with similar household incomes ($26K–$44K), it’s healthier than 27%. 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 West Virginia figure falls outside Bluewell’s likely range.

Health Grade

What’s behind Bluewell’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bluewell is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns. All seven of Bluewell’s estimates fall in the lowest 13% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is mental distress: 22.4% of adults, against 21.1% across West Virginia and 15.9% nationally.

DSelf-rated health28.8% · WV 25.4% · U.S. 19.4%
D−Physical distress19% · WV 17.3% · U.S. 13%
D−Mental distress22.4% · WV 21.1% · U.S. 15.9%
DObesity41.5% · WV 40.6% · U.S. 32.9%
DDiabetes17.3% · WV 15.9% · U.S. 12%
D−Smoking22.6% smoke · WV 19.3% · U.S. 11.8%
DExercise35.3% · WV 32.8% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 3%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $26K–$44K (1,278)Healthier than 27%

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). Bluewell’s median household income is $35,168; among the 1,278 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($26K–$44K), it’s healthier than 27%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Bluewell could be anywhere from D− to C−.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Bluewell adults…

Bluewell runs above WV on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

13 of every 100 Bluewell adults have COPD
West Virginia: 11 in 100 · worse · likely 10.8–14.7%
Better than WVWorseAbout the sameWest Virginia
Why age matters here

Bluewell is an older town: 54% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across West Virginia. COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Bluewell as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Bluewell54%
West Virginia21%
Getting care

Care in and near Bluewell

No hospital or community health center in Bluewell itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERPrinceton Community Hospital AssnPrinceton · 8.6 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyPrinceton Community Hospital Assn★★★★★ · 8.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careBluestone Health AssociationBluefield · 1.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1.1 mi
Bluestone Health Association
6 sites · nearest in Bluefield
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
8.5 mi
Tug River Heatlh --Princeton
Princeton · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
8.6 mi
Princeton Community Hospital Assn
Princeton · ★★★★★
ER
18.4 mi
Carilion Tazewell Community Hospital
Tazewell · not rated
ER
20.2 mi
Welch Community Hospital
Welch · not rated
ER
26.7 mi
Carilion Giles Community Hospital
Pearisburg · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Bluewell itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Bluewell itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Bluewell itself

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 Bluewell; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with West Virginia

Share of adults, with the West Virginia figure marked.

Get no exercise 35.3%WV 32.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 42.6%WV 40.7%
Binge drink 13.4%WV 14.1%
Smoke cigarettes 22.6%WV 19.3%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Bluewell, betterBluewell, worseAbout the sameWest Virginia
Where Bluewell gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Bluewell adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks West Virginia.

81%Yearly checkupWV 81%
54%Dentist visitWV 56%
86%Cholesterol checkWV 87%
65%Colon screeningWV 67%
76%MammogramWV 76%
81%Taking BP medsWV 80%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Bluewell 9.3% · West Virginia 1 in 12 (8.5%)
Mind & connection

How Bluewell adults are doing

About the same as West Virginia on each measure.

4 in 10Bluewell adults feel lonely
35.9% · WV 33.8% · About the same as WV
1 in 4Bluewell adults lack social or emotional support
23.1% · WV 23% · About the same as WV
1 in 3Bluewell adults have been diagnosed with depression
32.4% · WV 30.4% · About the same as WV
1 in 4Bluewell adults are in frequent mental distress
22.4% · WV 21.1% · About the same as WV
The one neighbors can help with

4 in 10 Bluewell adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 5
Bluewell adults worry about having enough food
18.5% · WV 16.2%
About the same as WV
1 in 7
Bluewell adults worry about keeping their housing
13.8% · WV 12.4%
About the same as WV
1 in 8
Bluewell adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
12.9% · WV 11%
About the same as WV
1 in 10
Bluewell adults lack reliable transportation
10.3% · WV 8.9%
About the same as WV

21.7% of Bluewell adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 17.8% across West Virginia.

Around town

Bluewell and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
BluewellD−41.5%17.3%22.6%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

43.6%

of Bluewell adults live with a disability (West Virginia 39.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs22%
Thinking or memory20.9%
Hearing9.7%
Errands alone12.6%
Vision6.7%
Dressing or bathing5.5%
West Virginia

Every CDC estimate for Bluewell

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bluewell is better than West Virginia on 0 and worse on 2; on the rest, the West Virginia figure falls inside Bluewell’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…BluewellWVU.S.vs WV
Overall health
Fair or poor health28.8%24.6–33.325.4%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)19%16.7–21.717.3%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)22.4%19.6–25.221.1%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity41.5%35.2–47.840.6%32.9%About the same
Diabetes17.3%15.2–19.715.9%12%About the same
High blood pressure44.9%41–48.944%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)44.9%41.1–48.942.7%37.1%About the same
Arthritis41.7%38.2–45.237.7%25.3%Worse
Asthma13.1%11.6–14.712.2%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer9.4%8.4–10.49.6%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease9.4%8.3–10.68.7%6.4%About the same
COPD12.7%10.8–14.710.6%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.6%4.1–5.24.2%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)23%19.2–27.219.5%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes22.6%18.9–26.819.3%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work35.3%30–4132.8%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking13.4%10.9–16.114.1%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours42.6%37–48.540.7%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)9.3%7–12.28.5%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year81.4%78–84.481%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year53.8%50.3–57.555.5%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years85.8%83.4–8886.8%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)80.7%78.2–83.179.5%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)65.4%60.7–7066.5%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)75.5%68.7–81.976.1%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression32.4%28.5–36.530.4%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely35.9%30.9–40.933.8%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support23.1%19.5–2723%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food18.5%14.7–22.516.2%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing13.8%11.4–16.512.4%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off12.9%10.9–1511%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation10.3%8.6–12.18.9%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)21.7%17.4–26.417.8%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability43.6%38.4–48.939.2%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs22%19–25.318.7%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering20.9%17.8–2418.6%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty9.7%8.5–119%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty6.7%5.8–7.75.7%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone12.6%10.7–14.510.9%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing5.5%4.7–6.44.6%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 West Virginia figure falls inside that range.

Questions about health in Bluewell

Is Bluewell a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bluewell is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 27%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Bluewell?

CDC estimates 41.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.2% and 47.8%, against 40.6% across West Virginia and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Bluewell?

Princeton Community Hospital Assn in Princeton, 8.6 miles in a straight line from Bluewell’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

How many people in Bluewell have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 9.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7–12.2%), against 8.5% across West 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 Bluewell more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bluewell.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The West 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.