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Voluntown Baptist Church, Voluntown CTPhoto: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0
≈ B+Health Grade
Health in Voluntown · CDC PLACES 2025

Within Connecticut, Voluntown is healthier than 18% of graded towns

Voluntown differs from Connecticut on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 4 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 06384, 06351. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Voluntown

Connecticut sets a high bar

Voluntown is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, but only 18% of the 154 Connecticut towns we grade. Health Grade ↓

COPD and depression run high in Voluntown

1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.1%), vs 5.6% across Connecticut. 1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (24.5%), vs 20.6% across Connecticut. In all, Voluntown runs above Connecticut on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Against towns with similar incomes, Voluntown’s lead shrinks

Voluntown is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, but 48% of the 8,299 towns with similar household incomes ($76K–$127K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓

Fewer Voluntown adults struggle to make ends meet

Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Connecticut. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓

Nearly everyone in Voluntown 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 Voluntown’s likely range; Voluntown’s figures come from ZIP codes 06384, 06351, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.

Health Grade

What’s behind Voluntown’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Voluntown is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns, #127 of 154 in Connecticut. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 81% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 48%).

B+Self-rated health17.3% · CT 16.2% · U.S. 19.4%
B−Physical distress14.3% · CT 12.4% · U.S. 13%
B−Mental distress17% · CT 15.8% · U.S. 15.9%
B+Obesity33.2% · CT 30.5% · U.S. 32.9%
A−Diabetes10% · CT 10.2% · U.S. 12%
B+Smoking12.1% smoke · CT 10.6% · U.S. 11.8%
B−Exercise25.5% · CT 25.1% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 66%
Less healthyHealthier
Connecticut towns we grade (154)Healthier than 18%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $76K–$127K (8,299)Healthier than 48%

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). Voluntown’s median household income is $101,964; among the 8,299 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$127K), it’s healthier than 48%, about where its income would put it.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Voluntown could be anywhere from C to A. The letter shows with “≈”. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 06384,06351), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Voluntown adults…

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

7 of every 100 Voluntown adults have COPD
Connecticut: 6 in 100 · worse · likely 5.9–8.5%
Better than CTWorseAbout 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 9
Voluntown adults worry about having enough food
11.2% · CT 14.9%
Better than CT
1 in 10
Voluntown adults worry about keeping their housing
9.6% · CT 12.5%
Better than CT
1 in 15
Voluntown adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.7% · CT 8.4%
Better than CT
1 in 14
Voluntown adults lack reliable transportation
6.9% · CT 8.3%
Better than CT

9.1% of Voluntown adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

81%Yearly checkupCT 80%
71%Dentist visitCT 71%
90%Cholesterol checkCT 90%
71%Colon screeningCT 72%
79%MammogramCT 80%
77%Taking BP medsCT 77%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Voluntown 6.9% · Connecticut 1 in 10 (10%)
Getting care

Care in and near Voluntown

No hospital or community health center in Voluntown itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERWilliam W Backus HospitalNorwich · 13.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyWilliam W Backus Hospital★★★★★ · 13.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careUnited Community and Family ServicesJewett City · 7.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
7.7 mi
United Community and Family Services
5 sites · nearest in Jewett City
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
7.9 mi
Wood River Health Services
2 sites · nearest in Hope Valley
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
13.5 mi
William W Backus Hospital
Norwich · ★★★★★
ER
15 mi
Westerly Hospital
Westerly · ★★★★★
ER
20.1 mi
South County Hospital
Wakefield · ★★★★★
ER
20.2 mi
Kent County Memorial Hospital
Warwick · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Voluntown itself
✓ Dental careVoluntown is not a shortage area
! Mental healthVoluntown is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, MHCA Region 3 · need score 15 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 Voluntown; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Connecticut

Share of adults, with the Connecticut figure marked.

Get no exercise 25.5%CT 25.1%
Sleep under 7 hours 37.5%CT 35.8%
Binge drink 15.9%CT 15.4%
Smoke cigarettes 12.1%CT 10.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Voluntown, betterVoluntown, worseAbout the sameConnecticut
Where Voluntown gets moving

83 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Voluntown adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, Voluntown runs above Connecticut.

1 in 3Voluntown adults feel lonely
31.5% · CT 33.2% · About the same as CT
1 in 4Voluntown adults lack social or emotional support
23.4% · CT 25.1% · About the same as CT
1 in 4Voluntown adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.5% · CT 20.6% · Worse than CT
1 in 6Voluntown adults are in frequent mental distress
17% · CT 15.8% · About the same as CT
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Voluntown 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.

Around town

Voluntown and the towns around it

Voluntown’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 7 graded towns around it.

Griswold: 33.1%North Stonington: 31.1%Sterling: 35.5%Exeter: 29.2%Plainfield: 34.7%West Greenwich: 31.9%Lisbon: 33.1%Jewett City: 34.4%Preston: 30.8%Westerly: 28.1%Ledyard: 31%Stonington: 29.5%Hopkinton: 29.3%Ashaway: 29.1%Coventry: 33.2%Foster: 31.1%North Kingstown: 27.4%Richmond: 27.7%South Kingstown: 27.2%East Greenwich: 29.6%Canterbury: 32.2%Brooklyn: 32.7%Wauregan: 34.6%Killingly: 33.9%Voluntown: 33.2%VoluntownGriswoldNorth StoningtonSterlingExeterPlainfieldWest GreenwichWilliam W Backus Hospital · Norwich · 13.5 mi · 4★ MedicareHWesterly Hospital · Westerly · 15 mi · 4★ MedicareHSouth County Hospital · Wakefield · 20.1 mi · 4★ MedicareHKent County Memorial Hospital · Warwick · 20.2 mi · 3★ MedicareHUcfs Health Center Griswold · Jewett City · 7.7 mi+Wood River Health Services · Hope Valley · 7.9 mi+
Healthier than CTNear CTLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#19 of 25 towns on this map, healthiest first
Exeter29.2%
North Stonington31.1%
West Greenwich31.9%
Griswold33.1%
Voluntown33.2%
Plainfield34.7%
Sterling35.5%
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
VoluntownB+33.2%10%12.1%ZIP codes
GriswoldB33.1%9.9%12.4%ZIP 06351
North StoningtonA−31.1%9.5%9.8%ZIP 06359
SterlingC+35.5%10.8%15.7%ZIP codes
PlainfieldB−34.7%10.8%15%ZIP codes

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

29.2%

of Voluntown adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs12.7%
Thinking or memory14%
Hearing6.8%
Errands alone7.4%
Vision4.3%
Dressing or bathing3.5%
Connecticut

Every CDC estimate for Voluntown

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

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Voluntown is better than Connecticut on 5 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Voluntown’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…VoluntownCTU.S.vs CT
Overall health
Fair or poor health17.3%14.5–20.216.2%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)14.3%12.4–16.312.4%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)17%14.9–19.315.8%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity33.2%28.2–3930.5%32.9%About the same
Diabetes10%8.6–11.710.2%12%About the same
High blood pressure36.2%32.8–4032%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)37.6%34.3–41.438.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis29.2%26.3–32.524.7%25.3%Worse
Asthma12.1%10.7–13.611%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer9.4%8.5–10.48.5%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease6.7%5.8–7.75.8%6.4%About the same
COPD7.1%5.9–8.55.6%6.3%Worse
Stroke3.4%3–3.93.2%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)10.5%8.5–12.99.8%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes12.1%9.7–14.710.6%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work25.5%21.4–29.925.1%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking15.9%13.7–18.715.4%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours37.5%33.2–4235.8%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)6.9%5.4–8.710%11%Better
Checkup in the past year81.1%78.4–83.980.4%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year71.3%68.4–74.170.7%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years89.6%88–91.289.5%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)77.1%74.1–80.276.5%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)71.1%67.3–74.672.3%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)78.8%73.3–83.779.5%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression24.5%21.5–2820.6%20.6%Worse
Feel lonely31.5%27.7–35.333.2%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support23.4%20.2–26.525.1%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food11.2%8.9–13.714.9%15%Better
Worried about keeping housing9.6%7.9–11.412.5%12%Better
Threatened with a utility shut-off6.7%5.6–7.88.4%7.6%Better
Lack reliable transportation6.9%5.8–88.3%7.9%Better
Received SNAP (food stamps)9.1%7.2–11.411.7%11.6%Lower
Disability
Any disability29.2%25.4–33.425.3%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs12.7%10.6–14.911.3%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering14%11.9–16.212.3%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty6.8%6–7.85.9%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty4.3%3.7–4.94.8%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone7.4%6.3–8.67%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.5%3–4.13.5%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 Voluntown

Is Voluntown a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Voluntown is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #127 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 48%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Voluntown?

CDC estimates 33.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.2% and 39%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Voluntown?

William W Backus Hospital in Norwich, 13.5 miles in a straight line from Voluntown’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.

How many people in Voluntown have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.4–8.7%), 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 Voluntown more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Voluntown.

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.