Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Van Buren is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns
Van Buren differs from Maine on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 22 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 04785, 04746. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Van Buren
More Van Buren adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (38.1%), vs 23.1% across Maine. There are 35 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Van Buren
1 in 7 adults have COPD (14.7%), vs 8.4% across Maine. 1 in 17 adults have had a stroke (5.9%), vs 3.6% across Maine. Heart disease is also above the state: 12.3%, vs 7.6% across Maine. In all, Van Buren runs above Maine on nine of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 35% of residents are 65 or older (Maine 22%), and COPD, stroke and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Van Buren
51.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.8% across Maine. Among those 65 and older, 26.7% have lost all their teeth (Maine 14.8%). Checkups ↓
Van Buren is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Van Buren is healthier than 5%. Against the 2,446 towns with similar household incomes ($30K–$50K), it’s healthier than 26%. 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 Maine figure falls outside Van Buren’s likely range; Van Buren’s figures come from ZIP codes 04785, 04746, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Van Buren’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Van Buren is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 22% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Van Buren’s median household income is $40,170; among the 2,446 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($30K–$50K), it’s healthier than 26%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Van Buren compares well: binge drinking, 11.1% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 83.7% (U.S. 77.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 81.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
35 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Van Buren adults…
Van Buren runs above ME on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Van Buren is an older town: 35% of residents are 65 or older, vs 22% across Maine. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Van Buren as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Van Buren adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
Care in and near Van Buren
1 community health center in Van Buren, 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 Van Buren; ≈ 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 Van Buren adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Van Buren runs above Maine.
1 in 3 Van Buren 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.
25.4% of Van Buren adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Van Buren and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren | D− | 41.6% | 18% | 21.2% | ZIP codes |
| Van Buren | — | — | — | — | |
| Grand Isle | — | — | — | — | |
| Hamlin | — | — | — | — | |
| Cyr plantation | — | — | — | — |
Van Buren: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Grand Isle, Hamlin and Cyr plantation: 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 Van Buren adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Van Buren
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Van Buren is better than Maine on 3 and worse on 22; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Van Buren’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Van Buren | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.3%25.5–33.2 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.6%18.2–23 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.8–20.8 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.6%37–46.4 | 32.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 18%15.9–20.3 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 49%45.7–52.3 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.8%41.3–48.1 | 37.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 42.2%39.2–45.4 | 32% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13.8%12.4–15.4 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.8%10.7–13.1 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 12.3%10.9–13.7 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 14.7%12.6–16.9 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 26.7%22.9–30.6 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.2%18.2–24.4 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 38.1%33.6–42.7 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 11.1%9.3–13 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.6%33.3–42.2 | 32.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.1%8.7–13.8 | 7.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.7%81.3–86 | 81.2% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.1%47.8–54.5 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.2%85.4–88.9 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.7%79.3–84.1 | 76.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.7%65.7–73.5 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%69.6–81.2 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.7%22.8–28.7 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.4%30.5–38.4 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.2%22.9–29.7 | 22.7% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.9%13.8–20.2 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.7%10.6–14.9 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.9%8.5–11.4 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.1%8.6–11.7 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 25.4%21.4–29.6 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 44.8%40.6–48.9 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 24.3%21.2–27.4 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19%16.8–21.4 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 13.1%11.7–14.7 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.4%6.4–8.5 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.2%10.6–14 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.1%5.2–7 | 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 Maine figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Van Buren
Is Van Buren a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Van Buren is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 26%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Van Buren?
CDC estimates 41.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 37% and 46.4%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Van Buren?
Cary Medical Center in Caribou, 21.4 miles in a straight line from Van Buren’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Van Buren have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.7–13.8%), against 7.8% across Maine.
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 Van Buren 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 Van Buren.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Maine 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.