Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY 4.0Within New Hampshire, Canaan is healthier than 23% of graded towns
Canaan trails New Hampshire on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03741. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Canaan
New Hampshire sets a high bar
Canaan is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns, but only 23% of the 126 New Hampshire towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Smoking is more common in Canaan
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (14.3%), vs 10.8% across New Hampshire. Habits ↓
COPD and stroke run high in Canaan
1 in 13 adults have COPD (8%), vs 6.2% across New Hampshire. 1 in 28 adults have had a stroke (3.6%), vs 3.1% across New Hampshire. Conditions ↓
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 Canaan’s likely range; Canaan’s figures come from ZIP code 03741, 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 Canaan’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Canaan is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns, #97 of 126 in New Hampshire. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 87% of towns); the weakest is smoking, still better than 55%.
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). Canaan’s median household income is $81,583; among the 10,670 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$102K), it’s healthier than 80%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
36 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Canaan adults…
Canaan runs above NH on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Canaan
1 community health center in Canaan, 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 Canaan; ≈ 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 Canaan adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Canaan adults are doing
About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.
1 in 3 Canaan 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.
8.9% of Canaan adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Canaan and the towns around it
Canaan’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canaan | B+ | 28.8% | 10.4% | 14.3% | ZIP 03741 |
| Enfield | A | 27.6% | 9.5% | 11.1% | ZIP 03748 |
| Dorchester | — | — | — | — | |
| Orange | — | — | — | — | |
| Hanover | A+ | 21.1% | 6.3% | 6.2% | ZIP codes |
| Enfield | — | — | — | — | |
| Groton | — | — | — | — | |
| Grafton | A− | 28.3% | 10.3% | 13.7% | ZIP 03240 |
Dorchester, Orange and Groton: fewer than 1,000 residents. Enfield: 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 Canaan adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Canaan
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Canaan is better than New Hampshire on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Canaan’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Canaan | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.9%14.1–19.9 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.6–15.6 | 11.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.4–18.8 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.8%23.8–33.9 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%8.9–12.1 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34%30.6–37.5 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.7%32.2–39.3 | 35.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.7%27.7–33.8 | 27.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.7–12.5 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.9%9–10.9 | 9.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6–7.8 | 6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8%6.7–9.4 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.2–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.7%12.1–17.6 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.3%11.5–17.1 | 10.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 22.8%18.9–27 | 20.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.2%12.6–17.9 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.3%28.6–38.1 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.8%6.1–9.8 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.2%70.4–77.6 | 77.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.2%61.7–68.6 | 68.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.9%84.8–88.9 | 88.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.6%73.1–79.5 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.1%64–72.1 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.9%68.4–80.7 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25%21.7–28.4 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.7%27.5–36.4 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.3%19–26.1 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.7%9.1–14.6 | 9.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.5%7.6–11.5 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.4–7.8 | 5.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%5.7–8.3 | 5.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.9%6.8–11.4 | 6.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.7%24.7–32.9 | 26.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.3%11.2–15.6 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14%11.9–16.2 | 12% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%6.9–9 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4–5.3 | 3.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.6–9.1 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.2–4.4 | 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 Canaan
Is Canaan a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Canaan is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #97 of 126 in New Hampshire. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 80%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Canaan?
CDC estimates 28.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.8% and 33.9%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Canaan?
Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in Lebanon, 11.1 miles in a straight line from Canaan’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Canaan have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–9.8%), 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 Canaan 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 Canaan.
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.