Villa Bella Vista · Photo: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ. M.D. · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Connecticut, Chester is healthier than 29% of graded towns
Chester differs from Connecticut on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 06412. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chester
Connecticut sets a high bar
Chester is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, but only 29% of the 154 Connecticut towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Chester
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.7%), vs 8.5% across Connecticut. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.8%), vs 5.8% across Connecticut. Arthritis is also above the state: 32.7%, vs 24.7% across Connecticut. In all, Chester runs above Connecticut on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Connecticut 19%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Every town around Chester scores healthier
All four graded neighbors are ahead of Chester’s A−, from East Haddam (A) to Haddam (A+). Around town ↓
More high blood pressure in Chester, and more people treating it
37.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Connecticut 32%), but 80.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.5% statewide. Checkups ↓
Chester keeps up with checkups
It beats Connecticut on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.2% vs 80.4%) and dentist visits (74.1% vs 70.7%). 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 Chester’s likely range; Chester’s figures come from ZIP code 06412, 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 Chester’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chester is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #109 of 154 in Connecticut. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 85% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 65%.
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). Chester’s median household income is $109,191; among the 7,266 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($82K–$136K), it’s healthier than 67%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Chester adults…
Chester runs above CT on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Chester is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Connecticut. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Chester as about how healthy they are.
Chester and the towns around it
Chester’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester | A− | 30.3% | 11.1% | 10.8% | ZIP 06412 |
| Deep River | A | 28.9% | 9.6% | 9.9% | ZIP 06417 |
| Deep River Center | — | — | — | — | |
| Chester Center | — | — | — | — | |
| Lyme | A | 28.4% | 9.3% | 7% | ZIP codes |
| Haddam | A+ | 27.7% | 8.5% | 9.1% | ZIP codes |
| East Haddam | A | 29.8% | 9.4% | 10.2% | ZIP codes |
Deep River Center and Chester Center: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Keeping up with care
Share of Chester adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
Care in and near Chester
No hospital or community health center in Chester 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 Chester; ≈ 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.
48 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
How Chester adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Chester does better than Connecticut.
1 in 4 Chester 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8% of Chester adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Chester adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chester
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chester is better than Connecticut on 11 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Chester’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chester | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.1%12.8–17.5 | 16.2% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.4–14.9 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.7–16.2 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.3%25.7–35.1 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.5–12.7 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.9%34.5–41.3 | 32% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.1%38.8–45.7 | 38.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.7%29.6–35.6 | 24.7% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.6–12.1 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.7%10.7–12.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%6.8–8.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.1%5.9–8.3 | 5.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.4–4.3 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.5%8.6–12.8 | 9.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.8%8.7–12.9 | 10.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.7%19–26.2 | 25.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%12.7–17.1 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32%28.1–36.6 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.9%4.7–7.2 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.2%81.8–86.4 | 80.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.1%71.4–77 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.8%90.6–93.1 | 89.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.4%77.7–82.9 | 76.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.1%70.5–77.8 | 72.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.2%72.7–83.5 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23%20.1–26 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26.8%23.5–30.4 | 33.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.2%17.3–23.1 | 25.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.9%7.3–10.9 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8%6.6–9.4 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.8%4.9–6.8 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%5–6.8 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8%6.5–10 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25%21.5–28.4 | 25.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.2%10.3–14.2 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.2%9.6–12.7 | 12.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%6.8–8.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.8–5 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6–8.2 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3–4.1 | 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 Chester
Is Chester a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chester is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #109 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 67%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chester?
CDC estimates 30.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.7% and 35.1%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chester?
Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, 12.9 miles in a straight line from Chester’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chester have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.7–7.2%), 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 Chester 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 Chester.
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.