Photo: Michaelphayes · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Monroe is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Monroe differs from Connecticut on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 24 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 06468. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Monroe
Monroe is an active town
Only 18.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.1% across Connecticut. The town has 23 miles of trails across 32 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Monroe adults report less mental distress
Frequent mental distress (12.9% vs 15.8%), lack of emotional support (21.7% vs 25.1%) and depression (17.9% vs 20.6%) all run below Connecticut. Mind & connection ↓
Diabetes and obesity are less common in Monroe
Monroe runs below Connecticut on five chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (7.4% vs 10.2%), obesity (22.8% vs 30.5%) and COPD (4.2% vs 5.6%). Conditions ↓
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 Monroe’s likely range; Monroe’s figures come from ZIP code 06468, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Monroe’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Monroe is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #11 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 no exercise, 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). Monroe’s median household income is $157,250; among the 2,331 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($118K–$197K), it’s healthier than 94%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Connecticut
Share of adults, with the Connecticut figure marked.
23 miles of trails across 32 parks and preserves
How Monroe adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Monroe does better than Connecticut.
1 in 3 Monroe 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.
Out of every 100 Monroe adults…
Monroe runs below CT on 10 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Monroe
No hospital or community health center in Monroe 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 Monroe; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Monroe adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
4.4% of Monroe adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Monroe and the towns around it
Monroe’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe | A+ | 22.8% | 7.4% | 7.3% | ZIP 06468 |
| Newtown | A+ | 23.6% | 7.9% | 8.2% | ZIP codes |
| Sandy Hook | — | — | — | — | |
| Stepney | — | — | — | — | |
| Easton | A+ | 22.5% | 7.6% | 6.6% | ZIP 06612 |
| East Village | — | — | — | — | |
| Shelton | A | 24.5% | 8.9% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| Oxford | A | 30% | 9% | 8.8% | ZIP 06478 |
Sandy Hook, Stepney and East Village: 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 Monroe adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Monroe
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Monroe is better than Connecticut on 24 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Monroe’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Monroe | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10.7%9.3–12.2 | 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) | 12.9%11.5–14.4 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22.8%19.1–26.4 | 30.5% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.4%6.4–8.4 | 10.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.7%25.1–30.2 | 32% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39%35.9–41.8 | 38.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.2%20.1–24.3 | 24.7% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.6–10.7 | 11% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.7%8.8–10.5 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.3–5.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.2%3.6–4.9 | 5.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.3–2.8 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.7%5.4–8.1 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.3%6.1–8.7 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.1%15.6–20.7 | 25.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%15.1–19.5 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.1%27.7–35.1 | 35.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.9%5–6.9 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.3%76.6–81.6 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 79.5%77.6–81.7 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.1%90.9–93.1 | 89.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.4%75.6–80.8 | 76.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.2%72.2–78.4 | 72.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.7%76.3–85 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.9%15.6–20.1 | 20.6% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 30.9%27.8–34 | 33.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.7%19.2–24.2 | 25.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.1%5.9–8.3 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.7%5.7–7.8 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.3%3.7–5 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.5%3.9–5.1 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.4%3.5–5.3 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 18.6%16.4–20.9 | 25.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.8%6.7–9 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.6%7.5–9.7 | 12.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.8%4.2–5.5 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.3%2–2.6 | 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 Monroe
Is Monroe a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Monroe is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #11 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Monroe?
CDC estimates 22.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.1% and 26.4%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Monroe?
Griffin Hospital in Derby, 7.3 miles in a straight line from Monroe’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Monroe have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5–6.9%), 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 Monroe 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 Monroe.
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.