Photo: AirportExpert · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Bridgewater is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns
Bridgewater differs from Connecticut on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 19 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 06752. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bridgewater
Cancer and arthritis run high in Bridgewater
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13%), vs 8.5% across Connecticut. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (30.8%), vs 24.7% across Connecticut. Age is part of it: 37% of residents are 65 or older (Connecticut 19%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Bridgewater keeps up with checkups
It beats Connecticut on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.1% vs 80.4%) and dentist visits (78.2% vs 70.7%). Checkups ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Bridgewater’s lead shrinks
Bridgewater is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns, but 82% of the 2,206 towns with similar household incomes ($120K–$199K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Bridgewater adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (26.9% vs 33.2%), frequent mental distress (12.2% vs 15.8%) and lack of emotional support (20% vs 25.1%) all run below Connecticut. Mind & connection ↓
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 Bridgewater’s likely range; Bridgewater’s figures come from ZIP code 06752, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Bridgewater’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bridgewater is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 97% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 88%.
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). Bridgewater’s median household income is $159,365; among the 2,206 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($120K–$199K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Bridgewater adults…
Bridgewater runs below CT on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Bridgewater is an older town: 37% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Connecticut. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Bridgewater as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bridgewater adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
How Bridgewater adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Bridgewater does better than Connecticut.
1 in 4 Bridgewater 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.
Care in and near Bridgewater
No hospital or community health center in Bridgewater itself. These are the nearest.
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 Bridgewater; ≈ 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.
20 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
3.8% of Bridgewater adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Bridgewater and the towns around it
Bridgewater’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater | A+ | 24.6% | 9% | 7.2% | ZIP 06752 |
| New Milford | A | 27.7% | 9.1% | 10.4% | ZIP codes |
| New Milford | — | — | — | — | |
| Southbury | A | 29% | 10.6% | 8.1% | ZIP 06488 |
| Roxbury | A+ | 24.5% | 9.1% | 6.7% | ZIP 06783 |
| Brookfield | A+ | 23.4% | 8.1% | 8.1% | ZIP 06804 |
| Newtown | A+ | 23.6% | 7.9% | 8.2% | ZIP codes |
New Milford: 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 Bridgewater adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bridgewater
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bridgewater is better than Connecticut on 19 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Bridgewater’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bridgewater | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.8%9.7–14.4 | 16.2% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%9.6–13.3 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.5–14 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.6%20.6–29.3 | 30.5% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9%7.6–10.7 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.6%29.3–36.2 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.3%38.9–46.1 | 38.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 30.8%27.8–34 | 24.7% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.2%9–11.5 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13%11.9–14.4 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.7–7.6 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.2%4.1–6.4 | 5.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.7–3.7 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.6%5.3–8.1 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.2%5.5–9.2 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.6%15.2–22.6 | 25.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12.5–17.1 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.2%24.4–32.2 | 35.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.2%3.2–5.5 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.1%81.8–86.5 | 80.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 78.2%75.8–80.5 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.7%92.6–94.7 | 89.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.5%78.8–84.3 | 76.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 77.4%74.2–80.5 | 72.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.6%76.7–85.9 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.4%17–22.4 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26.9%23.4–30.7 | 33.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20%17–23.3 | 25.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.5%4.1–7.2 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.2%4.1–6.4 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.5%2.8–4.2 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.9%3.2–4.7 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.8%2.7–5 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.9%18.5–25.6 | 25.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%8.3–12.3 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.3%6.9–10 | 12.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6–8 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.5–3.6 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.1%4.2–6.2 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.1–2.9 | 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 Bridgewater
Is Bridgewater a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bridgewater is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns: A+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bridgewater?
CDC estimates 24.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.6% and 29.3%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bridgewater?
Danbury Hospital in Danbury, 9.0 miles in a straight line from Bridgewater’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bridgewater have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.2–5.5%), 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 Bridgewater more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bridgewater.
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.