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Blacksburg, VA Health Statistics

24.8% of adults have obesity and 5.7% have diabetes, among about 44,826 residents.

Obesity
24.8%
#616 of 667 · -8.5 pts
Diabetes
5.7%
#659 of 667 · -6.4 pts
Smoking
10.1%
-2.7 pts
Uninsured (18-64)
8.9%
-2.2 pts

How it compares

Largest differences from the U.S. average

Higher than the U.S.

  • Cognitive20.8% vs 14.3%
  • Lack of transportation12.1% vs 8.5%
  • Mental distress22.3% vs 16.5%

Lower than the U.S.

  • Cancer3.3% vs 7.7%
  • Stroke1.6% vs 3.4%
  • Diabetes5.7% vs 12.1%

All health measures

Blacksburg, VA compared with Virginia and the U.S.

Health outcomes

Adults withHereVAU.S.
Obesity24.8%-8.5 pts34.5%33.3%
Diagnosed diabetes5.7%-6.4 pts12.4%12.1%
High blood pressure20.2%-14.2 pts35.4%34.4%
High cholesterol (among those screened)24.7%-11.7 pts37.9%36.4%
Coronary heart disease3.0%-3.3 pts6.1%6.3%
Stroke1.6%-1.8 pts3.3%3.4%
Current asthma10.7%+0.5 pts10.4%10.2%
COPD4.1%-2.4 pts6.2%6.5%
Cancer (excluding skin cancer)3.3%-4.4 pts7.7%7.7%
Arthritis12.0%-13.2 pts26.2%25.2%
Depression27.1%+5.5 pts21.7%21.6%
All teeth lost (age 65+)12.8%about the same11.1%12.6%

Health behaviors

Adults withHereVAU.S.
Current smoking10.1%-2.7 pts12.2%12.8%
Binge drinking18.1%+2.2 pts14.5%15.9%
No leisure-time physical activity21.1%-4.1 pts23.7%25.2%
Short sleep (under 7 hours)33.3%-2.8 pts36.0%36.1%

Prevention

Adults withHereVAU.S.
No health insurance (age 18 to 64)8.9%-2.2 pts8.7%11.1%
Routine checkup in the past year70.9%-5.9 pts79.2%76.8%
Dental visit in the past year59.8%-1.9 pts68.0%61.7%
Taking blood pressure medicine (if high)53.9%-21.6 pts76.8%75.5%
Cholesterol screening70.6%-15.6 pts87.5%86.2%
Colorectal cancer screening (age 45 to 75)66.2%+2.5 pts67.3%63.7%
Mammogram in the past 2 years (women 50 to 74)77.4%+1.3 pts78.6%76.1%

Health status

Adults withHereVAU.S.
Fair or poor general health16.3%-3.5 pts18.1%19.8%
Frequent mental distress22.3%+5.8 pts15.9%16.5%
Frequent physical distress10.5%-2.8 pts12.8%13.3%

Disability

Adults withHereVAU.S.
Any disability30.5%about the same29.9%30.4%
Mobility disability7.1%-6.7 pts13.5%13.8%
Cognitive disability20.8%+6.5 pts13.9%14.3%
Hearing disability4.3%-2.5 pts6.4%6.8%
Vision disability4.8%-0.5 pts4.7%5.3%
Self-care disability2.4%-1.4 pts3.4%3.8%
Independent living disability9.8%+1.7 pts7.7%8.1%

Social needs

Adults withHereVAU.S.
Lack of social and emotional support21.9%-2.7 pts21.6%24.6%
Food insecurity in the past year17.4%+1.5 pts13.1%15.9%
Received SNAP (food stamps) in the past year14.1%+1.3 pts10.7%12.8%
Housing insecurity in the past year11.3%-1.7 pts10.9%13.0%
Threat of utility shutoff in the past year7.9%about the same7.1%8.0%
Lack of reliable transportation12.1%+3.6 pts7.4%8.5%

Share of adults (18 and older unless noted), crude prevalence. Differences are compared with the U.S.; green is better than the national rate, red is worse. These are model-based estimates, not counts.

Frequently asked questions

What is the obesity rate in Blacksburg, VA?
About 24.8% of adults in Blacksburg, VA have obesity, compared with 34.5% in Virginia and 33.3% nationwide. That ranks #616 of 667 cities and towns in Virginia.
How common is diabetes in Blacksburg, VA?
About 5.7% of adults have diagnosed diabetes (Virginia 12.4%, U.S. 12.1%).
What share of adults smoke in Blacksburg, VA?
About 10.1% of adults currently smoke cigarettes, compared with 12.8% nationwide.
How accurate are these numbers?
They are CDC model-based estimates built from national survey data and local population data, not counts from local health records. Small areas have wider margins of error.

Source: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health · Last updated 12/01/2025 · 2025 release. Share of adults, crude prevalence.