Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Connecticut, Branford is healthier than 49% of graded towns
Branford differs from Connecticut on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 06405. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Branford
Connecticut sets a high bar
Branford is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns, but only 49% of the 154 Connecticut towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Branford
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 8.5% across Connecticut. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (28.5%), vs 24.7% across Connecticut. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Connecticut 19%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Branford keeps up with checkups
It beats Connecticut on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (75.2% vs 70.7%) and cholesterol checks (91.9% vs 89.5%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Branford adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Connecticut. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Connecticut figure falls outside Branford’s likely range; Branford’s figures come from ZIP code 06405, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Branford’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Branford is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, #79 of 154 in Connecticut. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 92% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 70%.
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). Branford’s median household income is $105,225; among the 7,815 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($79K–$132K), it’s healthier than 86%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Branford adults…
Branford runs above CT on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Branford is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Connecticut. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Branford as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Branford adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.7% of Branford adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Care in and near Branford
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Branford, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Branford; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Connecticut
Share of adults, with the Connecticut figure marked.
74 miles of trails across 23 parks and preserves
How Branford adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Branford does better than Connecticut.
1 in 3 Branford 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.
Branford and the towns around it
Branford’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Branford | A | 30.4% | 9.9% | 9.1% | ZIP 06405 |
| East Haven | — | — | — | — | |
| East Haven | B− | 35.3% | 11.4% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
| Guilford | A | 29.4% | 9.4% | 8% | ZIP 06437 |
| North Branford | A | 30.7% | 9.3% | 10.2% | ZIP codes |
East Haven: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Branford adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Branford
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Branford is better than Connecticut on 12 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Branford’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Branford | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.3%11.8–14.8 | 16.2% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.8–13.2 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.6–15.4 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.4%26.3–34.6 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.9%8.7–11 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.6%31.8–37.3 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.9%39–44.9 | 38.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 28.5%26.2–30.9 | 24.7% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.4–11.6 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%10.1–12 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%6–7.3 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 5.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.6 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9%7.5–10.8 | 9.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.1%7.9–10.5 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22.6%19.9–25.4 | 25.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.1%12.3–16.1 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.3%29.7–37.3 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%5.1–7 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.4%80.3–84.6 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.2%72.9–77.5 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.9%90.9–92.9 | 89.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%76.4–81.1 | 76.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.8%73.9–79.7 | 72.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.3%77–85.5 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.3%18–22.7 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31%27.9–34.2 | 33.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%19.2–24.2 | 25.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.7%7.5–10 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.1%7.1–9.3 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%4.8–6.3 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.7%5.7–7.9 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.1%21.6–26.6 | 25.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.2%9.9–12.5 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.1%9–11.3 | 12.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.4–4.1 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%5.3–6.6 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 3.5% | 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 Connecticut figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Branford
Is Branford a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Branford is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns: A for health, #79 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Branford?
CDC estimates 30.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.3% and 34.6%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Branford?
Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, 7.5 miles in a straight line from Branford’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Branford have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7%), against 10% across Connecticut.
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 Branford 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 Branford.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Connecticut 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.