Smyth County

Smyth County
Land Area: 452 square miles
Population (2000): 33,081

The hills and hollows of Smyth County's landscape are divided into three valleys by the crests of the Iron, Walker, and Little mountain ranges. Branches of the Holston River drain each valley. Quiet homesteads, pastured hills, and patches of dense forest characterize the local landscape.

There are several small towns in Smyth County, including Atkins (pop. 1,138), Chilhowie (pop. 1,827), Marion (pop. 6,349), Max Meadows (pop. 512), Saltville (2,204), and Sugar Grove (pop. 741). Major elements of the economy are manufacturing, service industries, trade, and transfer payments (retirement pensions, disability income, and welfare benefits). Tobacco agriculture and stock farming also contribute to the Scott County economy. In 1995, the largest employers were Utility Trailer (truck trailers), Dana Corporation (motor vehicle parts), Virginia House Furniture, and ITT Night Vision (aircraft parts).

The Museum of Middle Appalachia is in Saltville. Hungry Mother State Park is seven miles north of Marion, with facilities for camping, picnicking, hiking, biking, boating, swimming, fishing, and horseback riding. Mount Rogers National Recreation Area is about 10 miles south of Marion and features the highest peak in Virginia.

Death rates from several common causes are higher in Smyth County than in Virginia - e.g., heart disease (+28%), cancer (+6%), chronic lower respiratory diseases (+53%), pneumonia and influenza (+21%), nephritis and nephrosis (+11%), Alzheimer's disease (+72%), chronic liver disease (+35%), and suicide (+18%). Death rates from other common causes are lower in Smyth County than in Virginia : stroke (-29%), diabetes mellitus (-17%), and septicemia (-28%).

The total pregnancy rate for women aged 15-44 in Smyth County is 33% lower than in Virginia . The teen pregnancy rate in Smyth is 4% lower than the Virginia rate. Women in Smyth County are 6% more likely to start prenatal care in the first trimester than Virginia women as a whole. Babies born to residents of Smyth County are 11% more likely to be low birth weight than babies born to residents of Virginia , but the infant mortality rate in Smyth County is 14% lower than the corresponding rate in Virginia .

The population of Smyth County is considerably less prosperous than the population of Virginia. The poverty rate in Smyth is 75% higher than the poverty rate in Virginia and the per capita income for Smyth Countians is only 67% of the per capita income for Virginians. Proportionately fewer people in Smyth County are in the labor force and the proportion of Smyth Countians over the age of 25 without a high school diploma is 75% higher than in Virginia. The relative poverty and poor health status of the population suggest the need for improved access to primary care in Smyth County.

Population Health
Smyth Virginia

Disabled Population, Ages 5-20 (2000) 7.4% 8.1%

Disabled Population, Ages 21-64 (2000) 25.1% 17.5%

Disabled Population, Ages 65+ (2000) 46.3% 42.1%

Age Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (1998 - 2002 avg.) - Diseases of the Heart 279.2 218.0

Age Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (1998 - 2002 avg.) - Malignant Neoplasms 201.2 190.0

Age Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (1998 - 2002 avg.) - Cerebrovascular Diseases 41.6 58.3

Age Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (1998 - 2002 avg.) - COPD 61.9 39.2

Age Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (1998 - 2002 avg.) - Unintentional Injury 35.6 32.8

Age Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (1998 - 2002 avg.) - Pneumonia and Influenza 27.4 22.7

Age Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (1998 - 2002 avg.) - Diabetes Mellitus 18.0 21.7

Age Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (1998 - 2002 avg.) - Suicide 13.1 11.1

Age Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (1998 - 2002 avg.) - Septicemia 11.1 15.4

Age Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (1998 - 2002 avg.) - Nephritis and Nephrosis 17.3 15.6

Age Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (1998 - 2002 avg.) - Chronic Liver Disease/Cirrhosis 10.4 7.7

Age Adjusted Death Rate Per 100,000 Population (1998 - 2002 avg.) - Alzheimers Disease 27.3 15.9

Total Pregnancy Terminations (Residents) Per 1,000 Females Aged 15-44 (1998 - 2002 avg.) 55.5 82.6

Teenage Pregnancies Per 1,000 Females Aged 10-19 (1998 - 2002 avg.) 29.9 31.3

Percent of Resident Live Births Beginning Prenatal Care in 1st Trimester (1998 - 2002 avg.) 89.6% 84.8%

Low Weight Live Births as a Percent of Total Births (1998 - 2002 avg.) 8.8% 7.9%

Resident Infant Deaths Per 1,000 Lives Births (1998 - 2002 avg.) 6.2 7.2

Economic Indicators

Population with Medicaid (2004) 18.1% 10.8%

Poverty Rate (2000) 16.8% 9.6%

Per Capita Income (2000) $16,105 $23,975

Population Aged 16+ in Labor Force (2000) 58.4% 66.8%

Population Aged 25+ w/o High School Diploma (2000) 32.5% 18.5%

Employment By Industry

Agriculture, Forestry, Mining, Fishing, Hunting 2.2% 1.3%

Construction 6.3% 7.3%

Manufacturing 33.3% 11.3%

Retail and Wholesale Trade 14.2% 14.1%

Transportation and Warehousing and Utilities 3.8% 4.6%

Information 1.4% 3.8%

Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing 2.6% 6.6%

Professional, Scientific, Management, Adminstrative, and Waste Management Services 3.4% 11.6%

Education, Health, and Social Services 18.5% 18.3%

Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation and Food Services 5.4% 7.2%

Public Administration 5.1% 8.3%

Other Services 3.9% 5.4%

Links
Smyth County - http://www.smythcounty.org/
Smyth County - http://www.smyth.net/
Smyth County - http://www.mrpdc.org/econ_stats.htm
Smyth County Community Hospital - http://www.scchosp.org/
Marion (town) - http://www.marionva.org/
Saltville (town) - http://www.city-data.com/city/Saltville-Virginia.html
Chilhowie (town) - http://www.chilhowie.org/
Mount Rogers Health District - http://www.vdh.state.va.us/LHD/mtrogers/index.asp