Photo: Ken Gallager · CC BY-SA 3.0Within New Hampshire, Bristol is healthier than 26% of graded towns
Bristol trails New Hampshire on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03222. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bristol
New Hampshire sets a high bar
Bristol is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, but only 26% of the 126 New Hampshire towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Bristol
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.2%), vs 6.2% across New Hampshire. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.4%), vs 6% across New Hampshire. Stroke is also above the state: 3.8%, vs 3.1% across New Hampshire. In all, Bristol runs above New Hampshire on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Bristol
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (13.5%), vs 10.8% across New Hampshire. Habits ↓
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 New Hampshire figure falls outside Bristol’s likely range; Bristol’s figures come from ZIP code 03222, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Bristol’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bristol is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, #94 of 126 in New Hampshire. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 88% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 57%.
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). Bristol’s median household income is $78,438; among the 10,820 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$98K), it’s healthier than 84%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Bristol adults…
Bristol runs above NH on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
11 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Care in and near Bristol
1 community health center in Bristol, 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 Bristol; ≈ 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 Bristol adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Bristol adults are doing
About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.
1 in 3 Bristol 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.
8.4% of Bristol adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Bristol and the towns around it
Bristol’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | B+ | 28.4% | 10.9% | 13.5% | ZIP 03222 |
| Bridgewater | A− | 26.4% | 9% | 11.8% | ZIP codes |
| New Hampton | A− | 30.9% | 10.3% | 12% | ZIP 03256 |
| Hill | B+ | 35.2% | 11% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
| Bristol | — | — | — | — | |
| New Hampton | — | — | — | — | |
| Alexandria | B+ | 28.6% | 10.9% | 13.5% | ZIP codes |
Bristol: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. New Hampton: 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 Bristol adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bristol
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bristol is better than New Hampshire on 0 and worse on 10; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Bristol’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bristol | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.9%14.6–19.2 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12.1–15.3 | 11.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.1–17.7 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.4%23.8–33.6 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.5–12.5 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.6%32.3–39.1 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.1%33.5–40.8 | 35.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.5%29.6–35.6 | 27.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.8–12.4 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.9%9.9–11.9 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.6–8.2 | 6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.2%7.1–9.3 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.7%8.8–13 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.5%11.4–15.7 | 10.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 22.6%19.3–26.3 | 20.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%11.9–17.1 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.7%27.2–36.5 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%5.9–8.9 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.6%71.9–78.9 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.2%63.9–70.4 | 68.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.9%86.1–89.6 | 88.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.5%75.3–81.3 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.1%67–75.1 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.8%70.8–82.3 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.6%21.5–27.9 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.1%26.9–35.1 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%18.4–24.9 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11%9.1–13.2 | 9.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.8%7.4–10.4 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.2%5.3–7.2 | 5.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%5.7–7.6 | 5.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.4%6.9–10.2 | 6.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.1%25.7–32.7 | 26.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.9%12.1–15.8 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%11.9–15.3 | 12% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.5–9.4 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 3.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.9–8.7 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 2.9% | 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 New Hampshire figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bristol
Is Bristol a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bristol is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #94 of 126 in New Hampshire. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 84%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bristol?
CDC estimates 28.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.8% and 33.6%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bristol?
Concord Hospital- Franklin in Franklin, 12.7 miles in a straight line from Bristol’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Bristol have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.9–8.9%), against 6.8% across New Hampshire.
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 Bristol more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bristol.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Hampshire 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.