Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Connecticut, Hamden is healthier than 38% of graded towns
Hamden beats Connecticut on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 06518, 06514, 06517. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hamden
What’s behind Hamden’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hamden is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns, #95 of 154 in Connecticut. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 92% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 63%.
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). Hamden’s median household income is $98,306; among the 8,814 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($74K–$123K), it’s healthier than 84%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Hamden adults…
Hamden runs below CT on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Hamden
No hospital or community health center in Hamden 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 Hamden; ≈ 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.
123 miles of trails across 30 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Hamden adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
How Hamden adults are doing
About the same as Connecticut on each measure.
1 in 3 Hamden 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.
10.2% of Hamden adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Hamden and the towns around it
Hamden’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamden | A− | 31.4% | 9.4% | 9% | ZIP codes |
| North Haven | — | — | — | — | |
| North Haven | A | 29.6% | 9.3% | 8.9% | ZIP 06473 |
| New Haven | C+ | 37.9% | 11.7% | 13.2% | CDC place |
| Bethany | A+ | 28.6% | 8.5% | 8.2% | ZIP 06524 |
| Woodbridge | A+ | 26.8% | 8.7% | 6.2% | ZIP 06525 |
| Cheshire | A+ | 28.6% | 8.4% | 7.9% | ZIP 06410 |
| Wallingford | A | 30.9% | 9.3% | 10% | ZIP 06492 |
North Haven: 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 Hamden adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hamden
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hamden is better than Connecticut on 6 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Hamden’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hamden | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.1%12.5–15.7 | 16.2% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%10.1–12.6 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.5–17.9 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.4%27.4–35.8 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.4%8.4–10.6 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.2%28.8–33.8 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36%33.4–38.8 | 38.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23%21.1–25 | 24.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.1%10–12.3 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.7%7–8.3 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.8%4.3–5.5 | 5.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.2 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.1%7.6–10.9 | 9.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9%7.9–10.5 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 23.7%21–26.6 | 25.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%13–17 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.6%32.9–40.7 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%6.5–8.8 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.4%77.9–82.8 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.1%69.6–74.7 | 70.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.7%87.1–90.2 | 89.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.3%73–77.5 | 76.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.8%71.8–77.8 | 72.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.9%77.7–86 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.4%18.2–23 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.6%32.3–38.8 | 33.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.4%22.7–28.3 | 25.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.9%11.3–14.8 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.1%10.6–13.7 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8%6.9–9 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.2%8.8–11.7 | 11.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.4%21.8–27.1 | 25.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.4%9.2–11.6 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.9%10.6–13.4 | 12.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.9–4.6 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.5%5.8–7.3 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.8–3.3 | 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 Hamden
Is Hamden a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hamden is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #95 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 84%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Hamden?
CDC estimates 31.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.4% and 35.8%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hamden?
Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, 6.0 miles in a straight line from Hamden’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hamden have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–8.8%), 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 Hamden 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 Hamden.
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.