Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Connecticut, Meriden is healthier than 8% of graded towns
Meriden differs from Connecticut on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Meriden. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Meriden
Every town around Meriden scores healthier
All six graded neighbors are ahead of Meriden’s C+, from Middletown (A−) to Cheshire (A+). Around town ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Meriden
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (20.8%), vs 14.9% across Connecticut. Housing insecurity (18.2% vs 12.5%) and utility shut-off threats (12% vs 8.4%) are higher too. 17.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Meriden
62% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 70.7% across Connecticut. Among those 65 and older, 14.6% have lost all their teeth (Connecticut 9.8%). Checkups ↓
Meriden has a top-rated hospital
Midstate Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Meriden’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Meriden’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Meriden is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, #142 of 154 in Connecticut. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 64% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 16%).
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). Meriden’s median household income is $71,253; among the 10,614 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$89K), it’s healthier than 52%, about where its income would put it.
Meriden and the towns around it
Meriden’s Health Grade ranks 7th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meriden | C+ | 36.8% | 11.8% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| Cheshire | A+ | 28.6% | 8.4% | 7.9% | ZIP 06410 |
| Berlin | A | 28.7% | 10.2% | 9.8% | ZIP codes |
| Wallingford | A | 30.9% | 9.3% | 10% | ZIP 06492 |
| Southington | A | 28.9% | 9.8% | 10% | ZIP codes |
| Middletown | A− | 30.7% | 9.5% | 11% | CDC place |
| Middlefield | A | 28.9% | 9.4% | 10% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.1% of Meriden adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Keeping up with care
Share of Meriden adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
Care in and near Meriden
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Meriden, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Meriden; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Meriden adults…
Meriden runs below CT on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Connecticut
Share of adults, with the Connecticut figure marked.
44 miles of trails across 28 parks and preserves
How Meriden adults are doing
About the same as Connecticut on each measure.
1 in 3 Meriden 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Meriden adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Meriden
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Meriden is better than Connecticut on 1 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Meriden’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Meriden | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.2%18.4–22.3 | 16.2% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%13.3–16.1 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.8–19 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.8%32.3–41.4 | 30.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.6–13.1 | 10.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.7%31.1–36.4 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%35.8–41.5 | 38.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.9%22.9–27 | 24.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.9–12.2 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.3%6.7–8 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.8–7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.4%5.8–7.2 | 5.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.8 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.6%12.4–17.2 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%11.9–14.9 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.7%28.7–35 | 25.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%12.6–16.5 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.8%35.9–44 | 35.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15%13.4–16.7 | 10% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%76.3–81.3 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62%59.2–64.9 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%86.3–89 | 89.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.1%71.5–76.6 | 76.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.4%65.1–71.8 | 72.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.1%72.2–81.8 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.9%18.6–23.3 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.6%32.3–39 | 33.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.6%24.8–30.4 | 25.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.8%18.7–22.8 | 14.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.2%16.4–20.2 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12%10.7–13.4 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.1%10–12.3 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.1%15.2–19 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.5%26.9–32.3 | 25.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.7%12.4–15.2 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.7%13.4–16.2 | 12.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.4%6–7 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.6–9.2 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.1–4.8 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Meriden
Is Meriden a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Meriden is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #142 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 52%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Meriden?
CDC estimates 36.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.3% and 41.4%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Meriden?
Midstate Medical Center in Meriden, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Meriden’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Meriden have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.4–16.7%), 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 Meriden more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Meriden.
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.