Forest, VA is a pleasant town with a population of approximately 5,000 people. The health of the citizens in the town is taken very seriously, with a variety of local hospitals and medical facilities available for residents. There are numerous primary care physicians and specialists available to serve residents’ needs. In addition, there are various physical therapy centers, mental health counselors, and other medical professionals that provide specialized services to the community. The local hospitals also offer advanced technology such as MRI and CT scans for more serious illnesses or injuries. With these resources readily available within the town limits, Forest is committed to ensuring its citizens remain healthy and strong.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 102 physicians per 100,000 population in Forest. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Forest area is 106.3 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
106.3 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Forest area is 92 (100=best). The US average is 55.
92 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Forest area is 99 (100=best). The US average is 87.
99 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Forest commutes 17.3 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Forest area is 67 (100=best). The US average is 58.
67 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.