Photo: Dmadeo · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Guilford is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Guilford differs from Connecticut on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 06437. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Guilford
Guilford keeps up with checkups
It beats Connecticut on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.2% vs 80.4%) and dentist visits (78.2% vs 70.7%). Checkups ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Guilford
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.5%), vs 8.5% across Connecticut. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (28.6%), vs 24.7% across Connecticut. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Connecticut 19%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Guilford adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (29.5% vs 33.2%), frequent mental distress (12.9% vs 15.8%) and lack of emotional support (20.2% vs 25.1%) all run below Connecticut. Mind & connection ↓
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 Guilford’s likely range; Guilford’s figures come from ZIP code 06437, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Guilford’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Guilford is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #41 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 97% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 82%.
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). Guilford’s median household income is $137,816; among the 3,754 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($103K–$172K), it’s healthier than 81%, about where its income would put it.
Most Connecticut towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Guilford is healthier than 74% of graded towns, against 94% nationally.
Keeping up with care
Share of Guilford adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
Out of every 100 Guilford adults…
Guilford runs below CT on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Guilford is an older town: 27% 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 Guilford as about how healthy they are.
How Guilford adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Guilford does better than Connecticut.
3 in 10 Guilford 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.
Care in and near Guilford
No hospital or community health center in Guilford 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 Guilford; ≈ 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.
156 miles of trails across 61 parks and preserves
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 Guilford adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Guilford and the towns around it
Guilford’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guilford | A | 29.4% | 9.4% | 8% | ZIP 06437 |
| Madison | A+ | 27.4% | 8.4% | 6.2% | ZIP 06443 |
| Guilford Center | — | — | — | — | |
| Branford | A | 30.4% | 9.9% | 9.1% | ZIP 06405 |
| North Branford | A | 30.7% | 9.3% | 10.2% | ZIP codes |
| Durham | A | 28% | 8.5% | 9.6% | ZIP 06422 |
| Northford | — | — | — | — |
Guilford Center and Northford: 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 Guilford adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Guilford
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Guilford is better than Connecticut on 17 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Guilford’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Guilford | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.7%10.3–13.4 | 16.2% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.2%10–12.6 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.9%11.6–14.4 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.4%25.5–33.9 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.4%8.4–10.7 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%31.7–37.4 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.6%39.6–45.8 | 38.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 28.6%26.3–31.3 | 24.7% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.2–11.4 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.5%10.6–12.5 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.8–7.1 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.2%4.5–6 | 5.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.2%6–8.5 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8%6.8–9.4 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.2%17.7–23.2 | 25.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%12.4–16.3 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.2%28.7–36.1 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.7%4–5.6 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.2%81–85.3 | 80.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 78.2%76.1–80.4 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93%92.1–93.9 | 89.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.3%76.8–81.7 | 76.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 78.9%76.3–81.6 | 72.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.6%78.5–86.4 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.7%17.5–22.3 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%26.4–32.8 | 33.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.2%17.8–22.9 | 25.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.6%5.6–7.9 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.6%5.6–7.7 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.6%3.9–5.3 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.5%3.9–5.2 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.8%4–5.9 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.2%19.8–25 | 25.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%8.9–11.6 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.9%7.8–10.2 | 12.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.7–7.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.9–3.6 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.1%4.6–5.8 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–2.9 | 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 Guilford
Is Guilford a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Guilford is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #41 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 81%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Guilford?
CDC estimates 29.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.5% and 33.9%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Guilford?
Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, 11.5 miles in a straight line from Guilford’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Guilford have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4–5.6%), 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 Guilford 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 Guilford.
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.