Photo: Dougtone · CC BY-SA 2.0Within Connecticut, Winchester is healthier than 22% of graded towns
Winchester differs from Connecticut on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 06098, 06790. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Winchester
Connecticut sets a high bar
Winchester is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, but only 22% of the 154 Connecticut towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Winchester is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Winchester is healthier than 70%. Against the 10,144 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 90%. Health Grade ↓
COPD, arthritis and cancer run high in Winchester
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.1%), vs 5.6% across Connecticut. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.6%), vs 24.7% across Connecticut. Cancer is also above the state: 10.1%, vs 8.5% across Connecticut. In all, Winchester runs above Connecticut on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Connecticut 19%), and COPD, arthritis and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Winchester adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Connecticut. 1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Winchester’s likely range; Winchester’s figures come from ZIP codes 06098, 06790, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Winchester’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Winchester is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, #121 of 154 in Connecticut. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 85% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 49%).
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). Winchester’s median household income is $66,519; among the 10,144 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 90%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Winchester adults…
Winchester runs above CT on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Winchester is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Connecticut. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Winchester as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.7% of Winchester adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Connecticut.
Care in and near Winchester
1 community health center in Winchester, 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 Winchester; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Connecticut
Share of adults, with the Connecticut figure marked.
23 miles of trails across 43 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Winchester adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Connecticut.
How Winchester adults are doing
About the same as Connecticut on each measure.
3 in 10 Winchester 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.
Winchester and the towns around it
Winchester’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester | B+ | 29.4% | 10.3% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
| Torrington | B | 30.2% | 10.8% | 13.5% | CDC place |
| Barkhamsted | A+ | 26.1% | 8.6% | 8.7% | ZIP codes |
| Colebrook | A | 27.7% | 9.8% | 10.7% | ZIP 06021 |
| Winsted | — | — | — | — |
Winsted: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Winchester adults live with a disability (Connecticut 25.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Winchester
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Winchester is better than Connecticut on 5 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Connecticut figure falls inside Winchester’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Winchester | CT | U.S. | vs CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.1%15–19.4 | 16.2% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.7–16 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.6–18.4 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.4%25.1–34.6 | 30.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.3%9–11.8 | 10.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.5%29.6–36 | 32% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.9%36.7–43.5 | 38.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.6%27–32.6 | 24.7% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%10.1–12.6 | 11% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9.2–11.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.1%6.3–8.1 | 5.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.8%8.7–13.1 | 9.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.5%10.6–14.6 | 10.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.4%22.1–29.3 | 25.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%13.5–18.3 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33%28.9–37.4 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.7%6.5–9.1 | 10% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.7%78–83.5 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.4%66.4–72.3 | 70.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.8%88.5–91.2 | 89.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.2%75.5–81 | 76.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.5%65.7–73.3 | 72.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.4%70.6–81.8 | 79.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%19.9–25.7 | 20.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.7%26.9–34.6 | 33.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%21.2–27.6 | 25.1% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.9%10.1–13.9 | 14.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.4–11.4 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7%6.1–8 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.7%8–11.3 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27%24–30.5 | 25.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.9%11.2–14.7 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.6%11.1–14.3 | 12.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.3–8 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%4.1–5 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.8–8.6 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.2–4 | 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 Winchester
Is Winchester a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Winchester is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #121 of 154 in Connecticut. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Winchester?
CDC estimates 29.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.1% and 34.6%, against 30.5% across Connecticut and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Winchester?
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington, 9.5 miles in a straight line from Winchester’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Winchester have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–9.1%), 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 Winchester 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 Winchester.
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.