Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Lyme is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Lyme differs from Connecticut on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 06371, 06439. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lyme
Cancer, arthritis and high blood pressure run high in Lyme
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.5%), vs 8.5% across Connecticut. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.1%), vs 24.7% across Connecticut. High blood pressure is also above the state: 37.1%, vs 32% across Connecticut. In all, Lyme runs above Connecticut on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Connecticut 19%), and cancer, arthritis and high blood pressure are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Lyme keeps up with checkups
It beats Connecticut on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.8% vs 80.4%) and dentist visits (80.8% vs 70.7%). Checkups ↓
Lyme adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (27.5% vs 33.2%), frequent mental distress (12.5% vs 15.8%) and lack of emotional support (19.1% 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 Lyme’s likely range; Lyme’s figures come from ZIP codes 06371, 06439, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Lyme’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lyme is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 98% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 84%.
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). Lyme’s median household income is $135,000; among the 4,041 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($101K–$169K), it’s healthier than 84%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Lyme adults…
Lyme runs below CT on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Lyme is an older town: 31% 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 Lyme as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lyme adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
How Lyme adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Lyme does better than Connecticut.
1 in 4 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.
Care in and near Lyme
No hospital or community health center in 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 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.
90 miles of trails across 47 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.
4.2% of Lyme adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Lyme and the towns around it
Lyme’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyme | A | 28.4% | 9.3% | 7% | ZIP codes |
| Old Lyme | A | 28.4% | 9.3% | 7% | ZIP 06371 |
| Deep River | A | 28.9% | 9.6% | 9.9% | ZIP 06417 |
| Essex | A | 26.9% | 10.1% | 8% | ZIP codes |
| Essex Village | — | — | — | — | |
| East Lyme | A | 28.9% | 9% | 8% | ZIP codes |
| Chester | A− | 30.3% | 11.1% | 10.8% | ZIP 06412 |
| East Haddam | A | 29.8% | 9.4% | 10.2% | ZIP codes |
Essex Village: 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 Lyme adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lyme
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lyme is better than Connecticut on 18 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Lyme’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lyme | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.8%11–14.6 | 16.2% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%10.3–13.2 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%11.1–14.1 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.4%24.3–33.5 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.3%8.2–10.7 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.1%34–40.7 | 32% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.6%37.2–44.3 | 38.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.1%28.3–34.3 | 24.7% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.8–12.2 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.5%11.4–13.6 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.5 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.5%4.8–6.4 | 5.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.1%4.9–7.6 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7%5.9–8.4 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.7%16.9–23 | 25.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.2%12.1–16.5 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.1%27.2–35.2 | 35.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.5%3.7–5.4 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.8%82.6–87 | 80.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 80.8%78.6–82.9 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.5%92.6–94.5 | 89.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.2%78.6–83.8 | 76.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 78.4%75.2–81.6 | 72.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.1%77.1–86.6 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.1%18.5–24 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.5%24.1–31 | 33.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.1%16.5–21.8 | 25.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.9%4.8–7.1 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.4%4.6–6.4 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.8%3.2–4.4 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.1%3.5–4.7 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.2%3.4–5.1 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.5%21.6–27.8 | 25.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.7%9.2–12.3 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 12.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.2–7.8 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.2%4.6–6 | 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 Lyme
Is Lyme a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lyme is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health. 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 Lyme?
CDC estimates 28.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.3% and 33.5%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lyme?
Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London, 12.6 miles in a straight line from Lyme’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lyme have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.7–5.4%), 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 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 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.