Photo: Léo Schmitt · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Madison is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns
Madison differs from Connecticut on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 23 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 06443. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Madison
Madison is older than Connecticut, yet healthier on chronic conditions
Madison runs below Connecticut on COPD (4.3% vs 5.6%), diabetes (8.4% vs 10.2%) and stroke (2.7% vs 3.2%). That’s despite an older population: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Connecticut 19%). Conditions ↓
Cancer runs high in Madison
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.8%), vs 8.5% across Connecticut. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Connecticut 19%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Madison keeps up with checkups
It beats Connecticut on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.6% vs 80.4%) and dentist visits (82.2% 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 Madison’s likely range; Madison’s figures come from ZIP code 06443, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Madison’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Madison is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns, #12 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 almost every town); the weakest is obesity, still better than 91%.
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). Madison’s median household income is $167,442; among the 1,782 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($126K–$209K), it’s healthier than 90%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Madison adults…
Madison runs below CT on 5 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Madison is an older town: 25% 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 Madison as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Madison adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
Care in and near Madison
No hospital or community health center in Madison 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 Madison; ≈ 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.
108 miles of trails across 56 parks and preserves
How Madison adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Madison does better than Connecticut.
3 in 10 Madison 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.
3.3% of Madison adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Madison and the towns around it
Madison has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | A+ | 27.4% | 8.4% | 6.2% | ZIP 06443 |
| Killingworth | A+ | 27.5% | 9.2% | 8.5% | ZIP 06419 |
| Guilford | A | 29.4% | 9.4% | 8% | ZIP 06437 |
| Madison Center | — | — | — | — | |
| Clinton | A | 28.9% | 9.5% | 9.8% | ZIP 06413 |
| Clinton | — | — | — | — | |
| Durham | A | 28% | 8.5% | 9.6% | ZIP 06422 |
Madison Center and Clinton: 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 Madison adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Madison
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Madison is better than Connecticut on 23 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Madison’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Madison | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 9.7%8.4–11.2 | 16.2% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 12.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%10.4–13.1 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.4%23.6–31.6 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.4%7.4–9.5 | 10.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.7%29.9–35.5 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.2%39.2–45.3 | 38.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 27.3%24.9–29.8 | 24.7% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.8–10.9 | 11% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.8%10.9–12.8 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.3%3.7–4.9 | 5.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–3 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.1%4.2–6.2 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6.2%5.1–7.4 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.3%14.9–19.9 | 25.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.7%12.8–16.7 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.8%26.5–33.6 | 35.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.7%3.1–4.4 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.6%81.5–85.7 | 80.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 82.2%80.4–84.1 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.7%92.8–94.6 | 89.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.3%76.6–81.8 | 76.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 78.8%76.1–81.6 | 72.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.4%79.4–87.1 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.9%16.8–21.3 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.4%25.4–31.5 | 33.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.7%16.4–21.1 | 25.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 4.8%4–5.9 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.1%4.3–6.1 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.5%3–4.2 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.6%3.1–4.1 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.3%2.6–4.1 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 19.6%17.3–22.1 | 25.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.6%7.5–9.8 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 7.6%6.7–8.8 | 12.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.8%5.2–6.5 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.7%2.4–3 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.3%3.8–4.9 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.1%1.9–2.4 | 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 Madison
Is Madison a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Madison is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #12 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Madison?
CDC estimates 27.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.6% and 31.6%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Madison?
Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, 14.2 miles in a straight line from Madison’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Madison have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.1–4.4%), 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 Madison 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 Madison.
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.