Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Connecticut, Sterling is healthier than 7% of graded towns
Sterling trails Connecticut on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 06377, 06354, 06373. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sterling
Depression is more common in Sterling
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (25.5%), vs 20.6% across Connecticut. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 19.1%, vs 15.8% across Connecticut. Mind & connection ↓
Smoking is more common in Sterling
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.7%), vs 10.6% across Connecticut. Habits ↓
Sterling trails towns with similar incomes
Sterling is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns, and only 17% of the 8,186 towns with similar household incomes ($77K–$128K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
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 Sterling’s likely range; Sterling’s figures come from ZIP codes 06377, 06354, 06373, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Sterling’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns, #143 of 154 in Connecticut. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 70% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Sterling’s median household income is $102,695; among the 8,186 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($77K–$128K), it’s healthier than 17%, less than its income alone would suggest.
How Sterling adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Sterling runs above Connecticut.
1 in 3 Sterling 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with Connecticut
Share of adults, with the Connecticut figure marked.
15 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Sterling adults…
Sterling runs above CT on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Sterling residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Connecticut. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Sterling
No hospital or community health center in Sterling 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 Sterling; ≈ 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 Sterling 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.
12.1% of Sterling adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Sterling and the towns around it
Sterling’s Health Grade ranks 5th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling | C+ | 35.5% | 10.8% | 15.7% | ZIP codes |
| Plainfield | B− | 34.7% | 10.8% | 15% | ZIP codes |
| Voluntown | B+ | 33.2% | 10% | 12.1% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sterling adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sterling
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sterling is better than Connecticut on 0 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Sterling’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sterling | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.5%15.9–21.3 | 16.2% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.3–17 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.1%17–21.5 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%30.4–41 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.3–12.3 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.2%31.9–38.7 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.1%33.8–40.7 | 38.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.9%24.2–29.8 | 24.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12%10.7–13.5 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.6–9.2 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.5%6.4–8.7 | 5.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.4%13.5–19.5 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.7%13.1–18.6 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.4%24.3–32.9 | 25.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%14.4–19.9 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.8%36.2–45.5 | 35.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.4%6.6–10.5 | 10% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%75.6–81.8 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.5%61.3–67.7 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.8%85.8–89.6 | 89.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.3%72.2–78.2 | 76.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.4%65.3–73.2 | 72.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.3%66.7–79.2 | 79.5% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.5%22.3–28.8 | 20.6% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.9%29–37.1 | 33.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.8%22.5–29.5 | 25.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.6%12–17.6 | 14.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12%10.1–14.2 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.2–9.8 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.4%7.2–9.7 | 8.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.1%9.7–14.7 | 11.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.9%26.2–33.9 | 25.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.1%11.1–15.1 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15%13.1–17.3 | 12.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%5.9–7.6 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.5 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.3–9.6 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.4–4.5 | 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 Sterling
Is Sterling a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #143 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 17%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sterling?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.4% and 41%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sterling?
Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam, 15.1 miles in a straight line from Sterling’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sterling have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–10.5%), 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 Sterling 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 Sterling.
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.