Photo: Alex756 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, East Lyme is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
East Lyme differs from Connecticut on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 06333, 06357. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in East Lyme
Connecticut sets a high bar
East Lyme is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, but only 65% of the 154 Connecticut towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
East Lyme keeps up with checkups
It beats Connecticut on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.1% vs 80.4%) and dentist visits (77.2% vs 70.7%). Checkups ↓
East Lyme adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (29.5% vs 33.2%), frequent mental distress (13.8% vs 15.8%) and lack of emotional support (21.2% vs 25.1%) all run below Connecticut. Mind & connection ↓
Fewer East Lyme adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Connecticut. 1 in 13 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 East Lyme’s likely range; East Lyme’s figures come from ZIP codes 06333, 06357, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind East Lyme’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, East Lyme is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #55 of 154 in Connecticut. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 95% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 76%.
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). East Lyme’s median household income is $105,044; among the 7,838 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($79K–$131K), it’s healthier than 93%, about where its income would put it.
Most Connecticut towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state East Lyme is healthier than 65% of graded towns, against 92% nationally.
Keeping up with care
Share of East Lyme adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
How East Lyme adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, East Lyme does better than Connecticut.
3 in 10 East Lyme 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.
5.8% of East Lyme adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Out of every 100 East Lyme adults…
East Lyme runs below CT on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
East Lyme is an older town: 26% 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 East Lyme as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near East Lyme
No hospital or community health center in East Lyme 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 East Lyme; ≈ 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.
58 miles of trails across 27 parks and preserves
East Lyme and the towns around it
East Lyme’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Lyme | A | 28.9% | 9% | 8% | ZIP codes |
| Old Lyme | A | 28.4% | 9.3% | 7% | ZIP 06371 |
| Waterford | A− | 30.3% | 9.6% | 9.1% | ZIP codes |
| Lyme | A | 28.4% | 9.3% | 7% | ZIP codes |
| Niantic | — | — | — | — | |
| Salem | A | 29.7% | 8% | 8% | ZIP 06420 |
Niantic: 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 East Lyme adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for East Lyme
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, East Lyme is better than Connecticut on 15 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside East Lyme’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | East Lyme | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.6%11.6–15.8 | 16.2% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.8%10.2–13.4 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%12.1–15.5 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.9%24.5–34 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9%7.8–10.5 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%31.3–37.9 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%34.6–41.5 | 38.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.8%25.1–30.8 | 24.7% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.9–12.4 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.3–11.2 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.3%4.5–6.3 | 5.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.3 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7%5.7–8.5 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8%6.4–9.8 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.5%18.3–25 | 25.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12.4–17.1 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.6%29.5–37.9 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.5%4.4–6.7 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.1%80.6–85.7 | 80.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.2%74.8–79.6 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92%90.7–93.2 | 89.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.6%75.8–81.4 | 76.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.9%70.3–77.3 | 72.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.6%74.2–84.4 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.6%19–24.7 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%25.9–33.1 | 33.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.2%18.3–24.2 | 25.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8%6.5–9.7 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.2%6–8.5 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.8%4.1–5.7 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.1%4.4–5.9 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.8%4.6–7.2 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.6%21.5–27.9 | 25.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.5%8.9–12.2 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.7%9.1–12.2 | 12.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.4–7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%3–3.8 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.6%4.8–6.5 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–3 | 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 East Lyme
Is East Lyme a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, East Lyme is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #55 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 93%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in East Lyme?
CDC estimates 28.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.5% and 34%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to East Lyme?
Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London, 6.5 miles in a straight line from East Lyme’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in East Lyme have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–6.7%), 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 East Lyme 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 East Lyme.
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.