Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Connecticut, Stafford is healthier than 31% of graded towns
Stafford differs from Connecticut on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 06076. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Stafford
Connecticut sets a high bar
Stafford is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, but only 31% of the 154 Connecticut towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Fewer Stafford 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 ↓
Stafford is an active town
Only 20.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.1% across Connecticut. The town has 74 miles of trails across 33 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Nearly everyone in Stafford is insured
Only 6.9% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 10% across Connecticut. 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 Stafford’s likely range; Stafford’s figures come from ZIP code 06076, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Stafford’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Stafford is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #107 of 154 in Connecticut. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 90% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 58%.
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). Stafford’s median household income is $93,235; among the 9,545 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($70K–$117K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.1% of Stafford adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Everyday habits, side by side with Connecticut
Share of adults, with the Connecticut figure marked.
74 miles of trails across 33 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Stafford adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
Out of every 100 Stafford adults…
Stafford runs above CT on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Stafford
1 hospital in Stafford, 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 Stafford; ≈ 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).
How Stafford adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Stafford does better than Connecticut.
1 in 3 Stafford 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.
Stafford and the towns around it
Stafford’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stafford | A− | 32.2% | 9.1% | 11.6% | ZIP 06076 |
| Willington | A− | 32.2% | 9.5% | 11.5% | ZIP 06279 |
| Ellington | A | 29.8% | 8.1% | 8.9% | ZIP codes |
| Crystal Lake | — | — | — | — | |
| Stafford Springs | — | — | — | — | |
| Union | — | — | — | — | |
| Somers | A | 31.3% | 9.1% | 10.2% | ZIP 06071 |
Crystal Lake and Stafford Springs: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Union: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Stafford adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Stafford
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Stafford is better than Connecticut on 7 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Stafford’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Stafford | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15%13.1–17.2 | 16.2% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11.3–14.4 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.9–18.5 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.2%27.7–37.3 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.1%8–10.4 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32%29.2–35.1 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.4%36.2–42.8 | 38.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.5%24.1–29.1 | 24.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%10.1–12.6 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.8–10.6 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.4–6.8 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.2%5.4–7.1 | 5.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.5%7.7–11.7 | 9.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.6%9.9–13.6 | 10.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.8%18–24.1 | 25.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.5–18.4 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.6%30.4–39.2 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.8–8.2 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%77.1–82.6 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.4%69.6–75.2 | 70.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90%88.6–91.4 | 89.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.3%74.6–80.1 | 76.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.4%69.6–77 | 72.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.8%74.5–84.7 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.5%19.9–25.5 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.1%28.2–35.8 | 33.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%18.9–24.8 | 25.1% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.4%8.7–12.2 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.2%7.8–10.7 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.2%5.3–7.1 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.3%5.4–7.1 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.1%6.7–9.6 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.3%20.4–26.4 | 25.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.5%9.1–12.1 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%10.8–13.9 | 12.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.5–7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.4–4.3 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 3.5% | 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 Stafford
Is Stafford a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Stafford is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #107 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Stafford?
CDC estimates 32.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.7% and 37.3%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Stafford?
Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford Springs, 4.3 miles in a straight line from Stafford’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Stafford have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–8.2%), 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 Stafford 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 Stafford.
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.