Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domainWithin New Hampshire, Swanzey is healthier than 19% of graded towns
Swanzey trails New Hampshire on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03446. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Swanzey
New Hampshire sets a high bar
Swanzey is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, but only 19% of the 126 New Hampshire towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD and stroke run high in Swanzey
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.1%), vs 6.2% across New Hampshire. 1 in 27 adults have had a stroke (3.7%), vs 3.1% across New Hampshire. In all, Swanzey runs above New Hampshire on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Swanzey
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (13.6%), 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 Swanzey’s likely range; Swanzey’s figures come from ZIP code 03446, 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 Swanzey’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Swanzey is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, #102 of 126 in New Hampshire. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 78% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 54%.
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). Swanzey’s median household income is $81,595; among the 10,666 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$102K), it’s healthier than 77%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Swanzey adults…
Swanzey runs above NH on 5 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.
52 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Care in and near Swanzey
No hospital or community health center in Swanzey 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 Swanzey; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Swanzey adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Swanzey adults are doing
About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.
3 in 10 Swanzey 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.
8.7% of Swanzey adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Swanzey and the towns around it
Swanzey’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swanzey | B+ | 31.5% | 10.5% | 13.6% | ZIP 03446 |
| Troy | A− | 31.2% | 9.1% | 13.2% | ZIP 03465 |
| Marlborough | A− | 31% | 10.3% | 12.9% | ZIP 03455 |
| Keene | A | 28.6% | 8.2% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Winchester | C+ | 33.7% | 11.7% | 16.4% | ZIP codes |
| Marlborough | — | — | — | — | |
| Chesterfield | A | 29.9% | 9.8% | 11% | ZIP codes |
| Richmond | C+ | 33.7% | 11.8% | 16.3% | ZIP 03470 |
Marlborough: 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 Swanzey adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Swanzey
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Swanzey is better than New Hampshire on 0 and worse on 10; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Swanzey’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Swanzey | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.5%15.2–20.1 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.2–15.8 | 11.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.3–18.3 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.5%26.7–37 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9.1–12.1 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.3%32–38.9 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%31–38 | 35.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.6%28.7–34.8 | 27.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.7–12.3 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.8–11.8 | 9.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.3–8 | 6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.1%7–9.3 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13%10.6–15.8 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.6%11.4–16 | 10.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 22.8%19.4–26.7 | 20.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.8–18.1 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.1%29.4–39.5 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6.1–8.9 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.1%71.7–78.6 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.7%61.3–68.2 | 68.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.6%85.9–89.4 | 88.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.7%74.8–80.7 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.9%64.7–73.2 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.2%68.7–81.4 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%20.8–27.4 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.9%26.1–33.9 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.8%19.7–26.1 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.4%9.4–13.4 | 9.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.1%7.6–10.7 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.4–7.4 | 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) | 8.7%7–10.5 | 6.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.7%27.1–34.7 | 26.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.7%11.9–15.7 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%12–15.6 | 12% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.6–9.6 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 3.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.8–8.8 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.3–4.1 | 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 Swanzey
Is Swanzey a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Swanzey is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #102 of 126 in New Hampshire. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 77%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Swanzey?
CDC estimates 31.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.7% and 37%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Swanzey?
Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, 6.3 miles in a straight line from Swanzey’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Swanzey have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.9%), 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 Swanzey 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 Swanzey.
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.