Photo: Делян Ковачев · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Shelton is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
Shelton differs from Connecticut on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Shelton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shelton
Connecticut sets a high bar
Shelton is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, but only 66% of the 154 Connecticut towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Fewer Shelton adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Connecticut. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Cancer runs high in Shelton
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.1%), vs 8.5% across Connecticut. Conditions ↓
Shelton adults report less mental distress
Frequent mental distress (14% vs 15.8%) and depression (18.2% vs 20.6%) both 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 Shelton’s likely range.
What’s behind Shelton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shelton is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #53 of 154 in Connecticut. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 96% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 71%.
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). Shelton’s median household income is $108,185; among the 7,433 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($81K–$135K), it’s healthier than 92%, about where its income would put it.
Most Connecticut towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Shelton is healthier than 66% of graded towns, against 92% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7% of Shelton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Out of every 100 Shelton adults…
Shelton runs below CT on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
How Shelton adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Shelton does better than Connecticut.
1 in 3 Shelton 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 Shelton
No hospital or community health center in Shelton 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 Shelton; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Connecticut
Share of adults, with the Connecticut figure marked.
45 miles of trails across 47 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Shelton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
Shelton and the towns around it
Shelton’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelton | A | 24.5% | 8.9% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| Stratford | A− | 26.9% | 9.7% | 9.8% | ZIP codes |
| Oronoque | — | — | — | — | |
| Trumbull | A+ | 22.9% | 8% | 7.6% | ZIP 06611 |
| Monroe | A+ | 22.8% | 7.4% | 7.3% | ZIP 06468 |
| Daniels Farm | — | — | — | — | |
| Derby | B+ | 34.4% | 10.7% | 12% | CDC place |
| East Village | — | — | — | — |
Oronoque, Daniels Farm 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 Shelton adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shelton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shelton is better than Connecticut on 15 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Shelton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shelton | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.7%12.1–15.3 | 16.2% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10.4–12.9 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.5–15.4 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.5%20.7–28.3 | 30.5% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.9%7.8–10 | 10.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31%28.2–33.6 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.3%37.2–43.1 | 38.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.7%22.4–26.8 | 24.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9.2–10.9 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.4–6.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 5.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%3–3.5 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.8%6.4–9.5 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.1%7.8–10.3 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22.5%19.7–25.3 | 25.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.9%13.7–17.8 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.4%29–36.5 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.9%6.9–9 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.5%76.8–81.7 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.5%73.3–77.9 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.1%89.9–92.1 | 89.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.9%77.2–82 | 76.5% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.2%72.3–78.3 | 72.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.8%73.1–82.6 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.2%16–20.5 | 20.6% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 32.3%29.2–35.5 | 33.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.5%21.1–26.1 | 25.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.1%8.9–11.5 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.7%7.7–9.9 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%5–6.4 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.8%5.2–6.5 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7%6–8.1 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.7%20.2–25.2 | 25.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%9–11.5 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.1%9–11.3 | 12.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.7–7.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.1%5.5–6.9 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.3 | 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 Shelton
Is Shelton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shelton is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #53 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 92%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shelton?
CDC estimates 24.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.7% and 28.3%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shelton?
Griffin Hospital in Derby, 3.3 miles in a straight line from Shelton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Shelton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.9–9%), 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 Shelton 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 Shelton.
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.