Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Jefferson is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns
Jefferson differs from New Hampshire on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03583. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Jefferson
Cancer and arthritis run high in Jefferson
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.8%), vs 9.8% across New Hampshire. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (32.7%), vs 27.6% across New Hampshire. Age is part of it: 34% of residents are 65 or older (New Hampshire 20%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Jefferson is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Jefferson is healthier than 82%. Against the 10,234 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 97%. 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 New Hampshire figure falls outside Jefferson’s likely range; Jefferson’s figures come from ZIP code 03583, 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 Jefferson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jefferson is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 91% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 65%.
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). Jefferson’s median household income is $67,188; among the 10,234 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 97%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Jefferson adults…
Jefferson runs above NH on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Jefferson is an older town: 34% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across New Hampshire. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Jefferson as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Jefferson
No hospital or community health center in Jefferson itself. These are the nearest.
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 Jefferson; ≈ 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 New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
32 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Jefferson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Jefferson adults are doing
About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.
3 in 10 Jefferson 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.
5.8% of Jefferson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Jefferson and the towns around it
Jefferson has the best Health Grade of the 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | A− | 33% | 11.1% | 10.9% | ZIP 03583 |
| Carroll | — | — | — | — | |
| Lancaster | B− | 35.9% | 12.5% | 14.2% | ZIP 03584 |
| Whitefield | B− | 35% | 12.6% | 14% | ZIP 03598 |
| Randolph | — | — | — | — |
Carroll and Randolph: 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 Jefferson adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Jefferson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Jefferson is better than New Hampshire on 2 and worse on 3; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Jefferson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Jefferson | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.2%12.1–18.8 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.2–14.5 | 11.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%11.6–16 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33%27.5–39.3 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.3–13 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.7%32–39.8 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.7%35–42.8 | 35.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.7%29.2–36.4 | 27.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.6 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.8%10.6–13.1 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6–8.2 | 6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.2%5.6–9 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3–4.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.7%11.2–16.3 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.9%8.1–13.9 | 10.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22%17.3–27 | 20.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%12–17.3 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.9%25.4–34.4 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.9%4.3–7.8 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.5%77.3–83.4 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.6%65.3–71.6 | 68.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.7%88.9–92.3 | 88.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.7%77.7–83.6 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.5%66.3–74.2 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.9%74–84.9 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.3%18.3–24.9 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.7%25.4–33.8 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%17.4–24 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.2%6.1–10.5 | 9.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.8%5.3–8.4 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.6%3.7–5.5 | 5.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5%4–6 | 5.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.8%4.1–7.7 | 6.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.3%23.6–33.3 | 26.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.8%10.1–15.7 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.3%9.1–13.6 | 12% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.1–9.5 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.2–4.7 | 3.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.6%5.3–8.1 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.5–3.9 | 2.9% | 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 New Hampshire figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Jefferson
Is Jefferson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jefferson is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 97%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Jefferson?
CDC estimates 33% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.5% and 39.3%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Jefferson?
Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster, 7.9 miles in a straight line from Jefferson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Jefferson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–7.8%), 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson.
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.