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James Pardee HouseJames Pardee House · Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 3.0
AHealth Grade
Health in Sharon · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Sharon is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns

Sharon differs from Connecticut on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 4 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 06069, 06796. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Sharon

Cancer and arthritis run high in Sharon

1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13.2%), vs 8.5% across Connecticut. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (32.3%), vs 24.7% across Connecticut. In all, Sharon runs above Connecticut on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (Connecticut 19%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

Connecticut sets a high bar

Sharon is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, but only 64% of the 154 Connecticut towns we grade. Health Grade ↓

Sharon keeps up with checkups

It beats Connecticut on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.3% vs 80.4%) and dentist visits (75% vs 70.7%). Checkups ↓

Sharon has a five-star hospital

Sharon Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓

Sharon adults report less loneliness

Loneliness (26.8% vs 33.2%), frequent mental distress (12.4% vs 15.8%) and lack of emotional support (20.3% 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 Sharon’s likely range; Sharon’s figures come from ZIP codes 06069, 06796, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.

Health Grade

What’s behind Sharon’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sharon is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #56 of 154 in Connecticut. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 97% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 76%.

ASelf-rated health13.7% · CT 16.2% · U.S. 19.4%
A−Physical distress12.4% · CT 12.4% · U.S. 13%
A+Mental distress12.4% · CT 15.8% · U.S. 15.9%
AObesity25.8% · CT 30.5% · U.S. 32.9%
A−Diabetes10.1% · CT 10.2% · U.S. 12%
ASmoking8.2% smoke · CT 10.6% · U.S. 11.8%
A−Exercise20.7% · CT 25.1% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 92%
Less healthyHealthier
Connecticut towns we grade (154)Healthier than 64%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $75K–$126K (8,517)Healthier than 94%

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). Sharon’s median household income is $100,518; among the 8,517 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($75K–$126K), it’s healthier than 94%, about where its income would put it.

Most Connecticut towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Sharon is healthier than 64% of graded towns, against 92% nationally.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Sharon could be anywhere from B+ to A+. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 06069,06796), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Sharon adults…

Sharon runs above CT on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

13 of every 100 Sharon adults have had cancer
Connecticut: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 12–14.4%
Better than CTWorseAbout the sameConnecticut
Why age matters here

Sharon is an older town: 38% 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 Sharon as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Sharon38%
Connecticut19%
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Sharon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.

84%Yearly checkupCT 80%
75%Dentist visitCT 71%
94%Cholesterol checkCT 90%
76%Colon screeningCT 72%
81%MammogramCT 80%
82%Taking BP medsCT 77%
1 in 20
working-age adults has no health insurance
Sharon 5.1% · Connecticut 1 in 10 (10%)
Getting care

Care in and near Sharon

1 hospital in Sharon, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERSharon HospitalSharon · 2.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySharon Hospital★★★★★ · 2.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSun River HealthAmenia · 5.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.2 mi
Sharon Hospital
Sharon · ★★★★★
ERIn Sharon
5.3 mi
Sun River Health
2 sites · nearest in Amenia
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
13 mi
Community Health and Wellness Center of Greater Torrington
6 sites · nearest in Canaan
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
17 mi
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital
Torrington · ★★★★★
ER
23.2 mi
Fairview Hospital
Great Barrington · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
24.2 mi
Northern Dutchess Hospital
Rhinebeck · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Sharon itself
✓ Dental careSharon is not a shortage area
! Mental healthSharon is a federal shortage area for some residents.Region 5 · need score 14 of 25

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 Sharon; ≈ 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).

Mind & connection

How Sharon adults are doing

On 3 of 4 measures, Sharon does better than Connecticut.

1 in 4Sharon adults feel lonely
26.8% · CT 33.2% · Better than CT
1 in 5Sharon adults lack social or emotional support
20.3% · CT 25.1% · Better than CT
1 in 5Sharon adults have been diagnosed with depression
19.6% · CT 20.6% · About the same as CT
1 in 8Sharon adults are in frequent mental distress
12.4% · CT 15.8% · Better than CT
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 4 Sharon adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Connecticut

Share of adults, with the Connecticut figure marked.

Get no exercise 20.7%CT 25.1%
Sleep under 7 hours 29.4%CT 35.8%
Binge drink 13.7%CT 15.4%
Smoke cigarettes 8.2%CT 10.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Sharon, betterSharon, worseAbout the sameConnecticut
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 14
Sharon adults worry about having enough food
6.9% · CT 14.9%
Better than CT
1 in 17
Sharon adults worry about keeping their housing
5.9% · CT 12.5%
Better than CT
1 in 24
Sharon adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.1% · CT 8.4%
Better than CT
1 in 23
Sharon adults lack reliable transportation
4.4% · CT 8.3%
Better than CT

5% of Sharon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.

Around town

Sharon and the towns around it

Sharon’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 6 graded towns around it.

Cornwall: 27%West Cornwall: 27.7%Cornwall Bridge: 29%Salisbury: 25.4%Amenia: 29.1%North East: 28.3%Kent: 27.1%Goshen: 26.2%Canaan: 28.9%Warren: 27.1%North Canaan: 30.5%Falls Village: 30.2%Mount Washington: 28.3%Sheffield: 30%Washington: 27.6%Dover: 29.5%Stanford: 28.5%Pine Plains: 28.6%Ancram: 30.1%New Milford: 27.7%Sherman: 22.8%New Preston: 26.6%Washington: 26.7%Sharon: 25.8%SharonCornwallWest CornwallCornwall BridgeSalisburyAmeniaNorth EastKentSharon Hospital · Sharon · 2.2 mi · 5★ MedicareHSun River Health Amenia · Amenia · 5.3 mi+Community Health & Wellness Center North Canaan · Canaan · 13 mi+
Healthier than CTNear CTLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#3 of 24 towns on this map, healthiest first
Salisbury25.4%
Sharon25.8%
Cornwall27%
Kent27.1%
West Cornwall27.7%
North East28.3%
Cornwall Bridge29%
Amenia29.1%
CT30.5%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
SharonA25.8%10.1%8.2%ZIP codes
CornwallA−27%10.8%9.4%ZIP codes
West Cornwall————
SalisburyA25.4%9.9%8%ZIP codes
Cornwall Bridge————
KentA27.1%10.1%9.7%ZIP codes

West Cornwall and Cornwall Bridge: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

23.8%

of Sharon adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs11.6%
Thinking or memory8.9%
Hearing7.5%
Errands alone5.7%
Vision3.6%
Dressing or bathing3%
Connecticut

Every CDC estimate for Sharon

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sharon is better than Connecticut on 16 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Sharon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…SharonCTU.S.vs CT
Overall health
Fair or poor health13.7%11.2–16.616.2%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)12.4%10.5–14.412.4%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)12.4%10.8–14.115.8%15.9%Better
Conditions
Obesity25.8%21.6–30.630.5%32.9%About the same
Diabetes10.1%8.7–1210.2%12%About the same
High blood pressure34.6%31.4–38.232%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)43.4%40–47.338.4%37.1%Worse
Arthritis32.3%29.2–35.624.7%25.3%Worse
Asthma10.2%9.1–11.611%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer13.2%12–14.48.5%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease7.3%6.3–8.55.8%6.4%Worse
COPD6.1%4.9–7.65.6%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.6%3.1–4.23.2%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)10.6%8.6–12.89.8%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes8.2%6.3–10.410.6%11.8%Better
No exercise outside work20.7%17–24.925.1%24.7%Better
Binge drinking13.7%11.7–16.115.4%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours29.4%25.5–33.535.8%36%Better
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)5.1%3.9–6.510%11%Better
Checkup in the past year84.3%82–86.780.4%77.4%Better
Dentist visit in the past year75%72.3–77.670.7%63.2%Better
Cholesterol check in 5 years93.6%92.5–94.689.5%87.1%Better
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)82.1%79.3–84.776.5%76.5%Better
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)76.2%72.8–79.472.3%65.5%Better
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)80.8%75.7–85.579.5%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression19.6%17–22.420.6%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely26.8%23.2–30.733.2%32.5%Better
Lack social and emotional support20.3%17.3–23.625.1%23.6%Better
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food6.9%5.3–8.814.9%15%Better
Worried about keeping housing5.9%4.7–7.212.5%12%Better
Threatened with a utility shut-off4.1%3.3–4.98.4%7.6%Better
Lack reliable transportation4.4%3.7–5.38.3%7.9%Better
Received SNAP (food stamps)5%3.8–6.611.7%11.6%Lower
Disability
Any disability23.8%20.1–27.725.3%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs11.6%9.5–14.211.3%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering8.9%7.5–10.612.3%13.9%Lower
Hearing difficulty7.5%6.5–8.75.9%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty3.6%3–4.34.8%5.4%Lower
Difficulty doing errands alone5.7%4.8–6.97%7.9%Lower
Difficulty dressing or bathing3%2.5–3.53.5%3.8%About the same

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 Sharon

Is Sharon a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sharon is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #56 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 Sharon?

CDC estimates 25.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.6% and 30.6%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Sharon?

Sharon Hospital in Sharon, 2.2 miles in a straight line from Sharon’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.

How many people in Sharon have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 5.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.9–6.5%), 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 Sharon 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 Sharon.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.