Photo: Public domain · Public domainWithin Connecticut, Brooklyn is healthier than 22% of graded towns
Brooklyn differs from Connecticut on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 06234. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brooklyn
Connecticut sets a high bar
Brooklyn is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, but only 22% of the 154 Connecticut towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Fewer Brooklyn adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Connecticut. 1 in 9 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 Brooklyn’s likely range; Brooklyn’s figures come from ZIP code 06234, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Brooklyn’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brooklyn is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, #120 of 154 in Connecticut. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 82% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 50%.
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). Brooklyn’s median household income is $96,207; among the 9,147 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$120K), it’s healthier than 63%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.2% of Brooklyn adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Out of every 100 Brooklyn adults…
Brooklyn runs above CT on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Brooklyn
No hospital or community health center in Brooklyn 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 Brooklyn; ≈ 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.
5.9 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Brooklyn adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
How Brooklyn adults are doing
About the same as Connecticut on each measure.
1 in 3 Brooklyn 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.
Brooklyn and the towns around it
Brooklyn’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn | B+ | 32.7% | 9.9% | 12.4% | ZIP 06234 |
| Killingly | B− | 33.9% | 10.7% | 14.2% | ZIP codes |
| East Brooklyn | — | — | — | — | |
| Plainfield | B− | 34.7% | 10.8% | 15% | ZIP codes |
| Pomfret | A | 31.1% | 9.3% | 10.1% | ZIP codes |
| Danielson | C+ | 35.9% | 10.3% | 15.9% | CDC place |
| Wauregan | — | — | — | — | |
| Canterbury | A− | 32.2% | 9.9% | 11.9% | ZIP 06331 |
East Brooklyn and Wauregan: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Brooklyn adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brooklyn
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brooklyn is better than Connecticut on 5 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Brooklyn’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brooklyn | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.8%13.8–17.9 | 16.2% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.9–15 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15–18.7 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.7%27.7–37.9 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.9%8.7–11.3 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.6%31.3–38 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.3%33.8–40.9 | 38.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.5%23.9–29.2 | 24.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.9–12.5 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.5–10.2 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.7–7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.3%5.5–7.1 | 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+) | 12.7%10.4–15.1 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.4%10.6–14.2 | 10.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.6%22.2–29.2 | 25.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.8%14.2–19.7 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.8%33.3–42.3 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.7%6.5–9.1 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%76.8–82.6 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.5%66.5–72.3 | 70.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.4%88–90.8 | 89.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.4%73.5–79.2 | 76.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.4%67.5–75 | 72.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.6%70.5–81.9 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%20.1–26.3 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.7%27.9–35.6 | 33.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.9%21.6–28.1 | 25.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.1%9.4–13 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.8%8.3–11.3 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.6–7.4 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%5.8–7.5 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.2%6.8–9.7 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.5%24.3–30.9 | 25.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.7%10.3–13.3 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.7%11.2–14.3 | 12.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.6–4.5 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.2–7.9 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.9–3.6 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Brooklyn
Is Brooklyn a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brooklyn is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #120 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 63%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brooklyn?
CDC estimates 32.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.7% and 37.9%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brooklyn?
Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam, 8.6 miles in a straight line from Brooklyn’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Brooklyn have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–9.1%), 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 Brooklyn more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Brooklyn.
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.