Photo: Joe Mabel (on Flickr as Joe Mabel from Seattle, US) · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Essex is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Essex differs from Connecticut on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 06426, 06442, 06409. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Essex
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Essex
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13.3%), vs 8.5% across Connecticut. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (33%), vs 24.7% across Connecticut. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.4%, vs 5.8% across Connecticut. In all, Essex runs above Connecticut on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Connecticut 19%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Essex, and more people treating it
37.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Connecticut 32%), but 82% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.5% statewide. Checkups ↓
Essex keeps up with checkups
It beats Connecticut on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (85.9% vs 80.4%) and dentist visits (80% 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 Essex’s likely range; Essex’s figures come from ZIP codes 06426, 06442, 06409, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Essex’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Essex is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #45 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 98% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 79%.
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). Essex’s median household income is $104,395; among the 7,934 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($78K–$130K), it’s healthier than 95%, about where its income would put it.
Most Connecticut towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Essex is healthier than 71% of graded towns, against 94% nationally.
Out of every 100 Essex adults…
Essex runs below CT on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Essex is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Connecticut. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Essex as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Essex adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
Care in and near Essex
No hospital or community health center in Essex 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 Essex; ≈ 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.
34 miles of trails across 26 parks and preserves
How Essex adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Essex does better than Connecticut.
1 in 4 Essex 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.
4.8% of Essex adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Essex and the towns around it
Essex’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex | A | 26.9% | 10.1% | 8% | ZIP codes |
| Essex Village | — | — | — | — | |
| Lyme | A | 28.4% | 9.3% | 7% | ZIP codes |
| Deep River | A | 28.9% | 9.6% | 9.9% | ZIP 06417 |
| Westbrook | A | 28.4% | 10.2% | 9.5% | ZIP 06498 |
| Old Saybrook | A | 26.8% | 9.8% | 7.8% | ZIP 06475 |
| Deep River Center | — | — | — | — |
Essex Village and Deep River Center: 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 Essex adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Essex
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Essex is better than Connecticut on 18 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Essex’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Essex | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.5%10.2–15.3 | 16.2% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%9.8–13.6 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.3–13.9 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.9%22.5–31.6 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.1%8.6–11.8 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.7%34.2–41.3 | 32% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.5%39.9–47.1 | 38.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33%29.8–36.2 | 24.7% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.3 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.3%12–14.6 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.4–8.6 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.9%4.7–7.3 | 5.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.1–4.2 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.8%5.5–8.5 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8%6.1–10.2 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.9%16.2–24.1 | 25.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 13.9%11.9–16.1 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.2%24.6–32.6 | 35.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.7%3.7–6.1 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.9%83.6–87.9 | 80.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 80%77.8–82.5 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.8%92.6–94.8 | 89.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82%79.2–84.5 | 76.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 78%74.8–81.2 | 72.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.4%76.6–86.2 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.5%17.8–23.3 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 25.5%22.1–29 | 33.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.9%16–21.9 | 25.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.1%4.6–7.8 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.7%4.5–7 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.9%3.2–4.7 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.2%3.5–5 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.8%3.5–6.3 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.6%19.1–26.5 | 25.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.8%8.8–13.2 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9%7.5–10.8 | 12.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.7–9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3–4.3 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%4.7–7 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.3–3.4 | 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 Essex
Is Essex a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Essex is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #45 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Essex?
CDC estimates 26.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.5% and 31.6%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Essex?
Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London, 16.1 miles in a straight line from Essex’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Essex have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.7–6.1%), 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 Essex 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 Essex.
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.