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Helen West VirginiaPhoto: Coal town guy · CC BY-SA 4.0
–Not graded
Health in Helen · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Helen residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Helen, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

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

What stands out

What stands out about health in Helen

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Helen adults…

Helen runs below WV on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.

8 of every 100 Helen adults have had cancer
West Virginia: 10 in 100 · better · likely 6.7–8.5%
Better than WVWorseAbout the sameWest Virginia
Getting care

Care in and near Helen

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

HNearest ERRaleigh General HospitalBeckley · 11.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyBeckley ARH Hospital★★★★★ · 13.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careNew River Health AssociationSophia · 5.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5.9 mi
New River Health Association
3 sites · nearest in Sophia
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
9.9 mi
Community Health Systems
5 sites · nearest in Glen Daniel
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
11 mi
Beckley VA Medical Center
Beckley · ★★★★★
ERFor veterans
11.9 mi
Raleigh General Hospital
Beckley · ★★★★★
ER
13.7 mi
Beckley ARH Hospital
Beckley · ★★★★★
ER
20.4 mi
Welch Community Hospital
Welch · not rated
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Helen itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Helen itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Helen 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 Helen; ≈ 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 36.3%WV 32.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 44.5%WV 40.7%
Binge drink 15%WV 14.1%
Smoke cigarettes 24.1%WV 19.3%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Helen, betterHelen, worseAbout the sameWest Virginia
Where Helen gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%Yearly checkupWV 81%
54%Dentist visitWV 56%
85%Cholesterol checkWV 87%
50%Colon screeningWV 67%
76%MammogramWV 76%
76%Taking BP medsWV 80%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Helen 9.6% · West Virginia 1 in 12 (8.5%)
Mind & connection

How Helen adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, Helen runs above West Virginia.

2 in 5Helen adults feel lonely
39% · WV 33.8% · About the same as WV
1 in 4Helen adults lack social or emotional support
25.8% · WV 23% · About the same as WV
1 in 3Helen adults have been diagnosed with depression
34.8% · WV 30.4% · About the same as WV
1 in 4Helen adults are in frequent mental distress
25.8% · WV 21.1% · Worse than WV
The one neighbors can help with

2 in 5 Helen 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
Helen adults worry about having enough food
20.7% · WV 16.2%
About the same as WV
1 in 6
Helen adults worry about keeping their housing
15.9% · WV 12.4%
About the same as WV
1 in 7
Helen adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
14.3% · WV 11%
Worse than WV
1 in 9
Helen adults lack reliable transportation
10.9% · WV 8.9%
About the same as WV

23.4% of Helen adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 17.8% across West Virginia.

Around town

Helen and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

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

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

41.6%

of Helen adults live with a disability (West Virginia 39.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs18.7%
Thinking or memory23%
Hearing7.6%
Errands alone12.8%
Vision6.2%
Dressing or bathing5%
West Virginia

Questions about health in Helen

Why doesn’t Helen have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Helen.

What hospital is closest to Helen?

Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley, 11.9 miles in a straight line from Helen’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

Where can I get low-cost care near Helen?

3 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is New River Health - Sophia in Sophia, 5.9 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.

Neighbors talk health

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

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. 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.