Photo: Hayden Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Waterbury as a whole is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns
Waterbury differs from Connecticut on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 24 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waterbury. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waterbury
Every town around Waterbury scores healthier
All seven graded neighbors are ahead of Waterbury’s D, from Plymouth (A−) to Cheshire (A+). Around town ↓
More Waterbury adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (37.6%), vs 25.1% across Connecticut. There are 25 miles of trails across 30 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Waterbury
56.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 70.7% across Connecticut. Among those 65 and older, 20.1% have lost all their teeth (Connecticut 9.8%). Checkups ↓
More Waterbury adults live with a disability
1 in 3 adults live with a disability (34.2%, vs 25.3% across Connecticut). The biggest difference is vision loss: 8.8% vs 4.8%. Disability ↓
Waterbury is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Waterbury is healthier than 13%. Against the 6,418 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 30%. 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 Waterbury’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Waterbury’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterbury is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 36% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Waterbury’s median household income is $51,886; among the 6,418 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 30%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Waterbury compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.4% (U.S. 7.9%); binge drinking, 13.2% (U.S. 15.4%).
At 115,771 residents, Waterbury is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Waterbury and the towns around it
Waterbury’s Health Grade ranks 8th of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury | D | 40.5% | 14.1% | 16.2% | CDC place |
| Watertown | A | 27.2% | 9.2% | 10.1% | ZIP codes |
| Middlebury | A | 29.8% | 9.2% | 8.5% | ZIP 06762 |
| Wolcott | A | 30.8% | 8.8% | 9.7% | ZIP 06716 |
| Cheshire | A+ | 28.6% | 8.4% | 7.9% | ZIP 06410 |
| Prospect | A | 30.9% | 9.2% | 9.9% | ZIP 06712 |
| Naugatuck | A− | 33.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Oakville | — | — | — | — |
Oakville: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Everyday habits, side by side with Connecticut
Share of adults, with the Connecticut figure marked.
25 miles of trails across 30 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Waterbury adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Waterbury adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Out of every 100 Waterbury adults…
Waterbury runs below CT on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Waterbury
2 hospitals and 3 community health centers in Waterbury, 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 Waterbury; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Waterbury adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Waterbury runs above Connecticut.
2 in 5 Waterbury 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
26.3% of Waterbury adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Every CDC estimate for Waterbury
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waterbury is better than Connecticut on 2 and worse on 24; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Waterbury’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waterbury | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.4%23.3–27.7 | 16.2% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%15.2–18.3 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.1%17.4–21 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.5%36–45.3 | 30.5% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12.7–15.6 | 10.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.5%33.9–39.2 | 32% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.3%35.6–41.2 | 38.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.6%23.5–27.7 | 24.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.6–13.1 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.4%5.9–7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.6–7.8 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%7.1–8.6 | 5.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.9–4.5 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.1%17.3–23.3 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.2%14.5–18 | 10.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 37.6%34.3–41.1 | 25.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.2%11.5–15.2 | 15.4% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.5%38.5–46.8 | 35.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 18.5%16.6–20.4 | 10% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.7%76.1–81.1 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.7%53.8–59.8 | 70.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.7%84.1–87.2 | 89.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.1%71.7–76.4 | 76.5% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.1%61.7–68.7 | 72.3% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.2%70.2–80.3 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.1%18.8–23.6 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.8%34.4–41.3 | 33.2% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.4%27.4–33.4 | 25.1% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 29.4%26.9–31.9 | 14.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 24.4%22.2–26.8 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 17%15.2–18.8 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.4%13.9–16.9 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 26.3%23.9–28.9 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.2%31.3–37.2 | 25.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%15.4–18.5 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.5%15.9–19.2 | 12.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%6–7.4 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.8%8.2–9.5 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.7%9.8–11.7 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.1%5.6–6.5 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Waterbury
Is Waterbury a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterbury is healthier than 13% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 30%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waterbury?
CDC estimates 40.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 36% and 45.3%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waterbury?
Waterbury Hospital in Waterbury, 0.0 miles in a straight line from Waterbury’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waterbury have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 18.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 16.6–20.4%), 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 Waterbury more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Waterbury.
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.