Henry Clay Furnace · Photo: Brian Masney · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Cheat Lake is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns
Cheat Lake differs from West Virginia on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 25 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cheat Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cheat Lake
Cheat Lake is the healthiest town in West Virginia we grade
Out of 61 West Virginia towns with a Health Grade, Cheat Lake comes first on the seven CDC estimates behind it. Nationally it’s healthier than 85% of towns. Health Grade ↓
Cheat Lake is an active town
Only 18.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 32.8% across West Virginia. Habits ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Cheat Lake doesn’t win on
17.6% of adults binge drink, vs 14.1% across West Virginia, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Cheat Lake’s lead shrinks
Cheat Lake is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns, but 69% of the 6,156 towns with similar household incomes ($88K–$146K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Cheat Lake
Cheat Lake runs below West Virginia on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (5.5% vs 10.6%), stroke (2.5% vs 4.2%) and heart disease (5.3% vs 8.7%). Conditions ↓
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 Cheat Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Cheat Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cheat Lake is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns, #1 of 61 in West Virginia. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 90% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 60%.
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). Cheat Lake’s median household income is $117,014; among the 6,156 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($88K–$146K), it’s healthier than 69%, about where its income would put it.
Few West Virginia towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Cheat Lake is healthier than 100% of graded towns, against 85% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with West Virginia
Share of adults, with the West Virginia figure marked.
6.2 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Cheat Lake adults…
Cheat Lake runs below WV on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Cheat Lake
No hospital or community health center in Cheat Lake 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 Cheat Lake; ≈ 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 Cheat Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks West Virginia.
How Cheat Lake adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Cheat Lake does better than West Virginia.
3 in 10 Cheat Lake 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.
6.8% of Cheat Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 17.8% across West Virginia.
Cheat Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheat Lake | A− | 30.3% | 10.6% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Brookhaven | C+ | 34% | 12.5% | 16.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cheat Lake adults live with a disability (West Virginia 39.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cheat Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cheat Lake is better than West Virginia on 25 and worse on 1; on the rest, the West Virginia figure falls inside Cheat Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cheat Lake | WV | U.S. | vs WV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.2%12.1–16.5 | 25.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.4%9.9–13 | 17.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.4–18.7 | 21.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.3%25.1–35.6 | 40.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10.6%9.1–12.1 | 15.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33.6%29.8–37.2 | 44% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%34.4–42.3 | 42.7% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 29.1%25.8–32.1 | 37.7% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.2 | 12.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8.1–9.9 | 9.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.7–6.1 | 8.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.5%4.7–6.4 | 10.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.2–2.8 | 4.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.4%6.8–10.3 | 19.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.9%8.9–13.3 | 19.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.4%15.2–21.9 | 32.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.6%14.7–20.6 | 14.1% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.7%30.7–40.9 | 40.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.8%3.8–6.1 | 8.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.2%76.8–83.1 | 81% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.6%69.5–75.6 | 55.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.5%88.8–92 | 86.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.2%74.9–80.9 | 79.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.8%67.6–75.9 | 66.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 85.7%80.6–89.8 | 76.1% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.4%22.9–29.8 | 30.4% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 30.6%26.3–35 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.5%15.5–21.6 | 23% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.2%5.8–8.9 | 16.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.2%5.8–8.7 | 12.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.2%5.1–7.3 | 11% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.9%4.1–5.7 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.8%5.3–8.5 | 17.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.8%20.4–27.4 | 39.2% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%8.7–11.9 | 18.7% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.8%10.2–13.6 | 18.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.7%5–6.5 | 9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.9%2.6–3.3 | 5.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6%5.2–6.9 | 10.9% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.1–2.7 | 4.6% | 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 West Virginia figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Cheat Lake
Is Cheat Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cheat Lake is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #1 of 61 in West Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 69%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cheat Lake?
CDC estimates 30.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.1% and 35.6%, against 40.6% across West Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cheat Lake?
Mon Health Medical Center in Morgantown, 5.2 miles in a straight line from Cheat Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Cheat Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.8–6.1%), 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 Cheat Lake more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Cheat Lake.
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.