Photo: Cathy Cline · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Connecticut, Canterbury is healthier than 26% of graded towns
Canterbury differs from Connecticut on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 06331. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Canterbury
Connecticut sets a high bar
Canterbury is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns, but only 26% of the 154 Connecticut towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Canterbury is an older town
26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Connecticut. Conditions like heart disease and arthritis become more common with age, so keep that in mind when comparing Canterbury with the state. Conditions ↓
Fewer Canterbury adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Connecticut. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Nearly everyone in Canterbury is insured
Only 6.5% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 10% across Connecticut. Checkups ↓
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 Canterbury’s likely range; Canterbury’s figures come from ZIP code 06331, 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 Canterbury’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Canterbury is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns, #114 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 85% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 60%.
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). Canterbury’s median household income is $103,198; among the 8,100 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($77K–$129K), it’s healthier than 65%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Canterbury adults…
Canterbury runs above CT on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Canterbury is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Connecticut. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Canterbury as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.3% of Canterbury adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Keeping up with care
Share of Canterbury adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
Care in and near Canterbury
No hospital or community health center in Canterbury 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 Canterbury; ≈ 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.
11 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves
How Canterbury adults are doing
About the same as Connecticut on each measure.
3 in 10 Canterbury 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.
Canterbury and the towns around it
Canterbury has the best Health Grade of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury | A− | 32.2% | 9.9% | 11.9% | ZIP 06331 |
| Plainfield | B− | 34.7% | 10.8% | 15% | ZIP codes |
| Scotland | B+ | 33% | 10.7% | 12.6% | ZIP codes |
| Wauregan | — | — | — | — | |
| Brooklyn | B+ | 32.7% | 9.9% | 12.4% | ZIP 06234 |
| Hampton | B+ | 32.3% | 10.4% | 11.9% | ZIP 06247 |
Wauregan: 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 Canterbury adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Canterbury
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Canterbury is better than Connecticut on 5 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Canterbury’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Canterbury | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.9%12.3–17.8 | 16.2% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.3–15.2 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.2–18.3 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.2%27.4–37.5 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.9%8.4–11.5 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.8%31.5–38.2 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%35–42.1 | 38.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.3%24.5–30.3 | 24.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.2%10–12.6 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.7%8.7–10.8 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.3–7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.2%5–7.4 | 5.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.2%6.6–10 | 9.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%9.5–14.6 | 10.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.2%20–28.6 | 25.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%14–19.3 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.2%32.8–41.8 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.5%4.9–8.4 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.7%77.8–83.6 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.2%70.3–75.9 | 70.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.6%88.9–92.1 | 89.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%74.3–80.4 | 76.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.5%70.8–77.9 | 72.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.5%73–83.5 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%20.2–26.3 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.8%27–34.8 | 33.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.9%20.4–27.6 | 25.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.9%7.8–12.5 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.7%7–10.6 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.8%4.8–6.9 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%5–7.1 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.3%5.5–9.4 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.1%22.3–30.2 | 25.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.3%9.3–13.5 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.9%10.1–13.9 | 12.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.2–4.3 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.5%5.5–7.6 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.6–3.6 | 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 Canterbury
Is Canterbury a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Canterbury is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health, #114 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 65%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Canterbury?
CDC estimates 32.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.4% and 37.5%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Canterbury?
William W Backus Hospital in Norwich, 10.9 miles in a straight line from Canterbury’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Canterbury have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–8.4%), 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 Canterbury 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 Canterbury.
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.