Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, New York, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0Within New York, Athens is healthier than 45% of graded towns
Athens differs from New York on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 12015, 12414, 12451. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Athens
Cancer, COPD and arthritis run high in Athens
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.4%), vs 7.7% across New York. 1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.7%), vs 6% across New York. Arthritis is also above the state: 30.3%, vs 24% across New York. In all, Athens runs above New York on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (New York 18%), and cancer, COPD and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Athens adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below New York. 1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Athens is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its B tops all six graded neighbors. The closest is Coxsackie (B). Around town ↓
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 York figure falls outside Athens’ likely range; Athens’ figures come from ZIP codes 12015, 12414, 12451, 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 Athens’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Athens is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, #412 of 755 in New York. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 76% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 48%).
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). Athens’ median household income is $84,896; among the 10,404 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$106K), it’s healthier than 65%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Athens adults…
Athens runs above NY on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Athens is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across New York. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Athens as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.8% of Athens adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Athens and the towns around it
Athens has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | B | 33.7% | 11.5% | 13.2% | ZIP codes |
| Catskill | B− | 34.7% | 12.2% | 14.2% | ZIP codes |
| Cairo | B− | 35.3% | 12% | 14.7% | ZIP codes |
| Coxsackie | B | 34.8% | 10.9% | 14.9% | ZIP codes |
| Greenport | B− | 32.8% | 12.9% | 14.8% | ZIP 12534 |
| Athens | A− | 31.5% | 10.3% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| South Cairo | — | — | — | — | |
| Hudson | C+ | 34% | 13.4% | 15.9% | CDC place |
South Cairo: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Athens
No hospital or community health center in Athens 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 Athens; ≈ 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 York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
4.4 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Athens adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
How Athens adults are doing
About the same as New York on each measure.
1 in 3 Athens 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Athens adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Athens
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Athens is better than New York on 5 and worse on 4; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Athens’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Athens | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.7%15.4–20.2 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.5–16.1 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.6–17.2 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.7%26.5–40.2 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%9.9–13 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.9%31.8–39.5 | 32.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.8%35.3–43.6 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.3%26.9–33.4 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.8–12.2 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.4–11.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.4–8 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.7%6.7–8.8 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.4–4.1 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.3%10.1–14.9 | 12.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%11.1–15.2 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.3%21.1–29.4 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.7%13.8–19.4 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.5%31.3–44.2 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%5.1–7.1 | 7.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.7%78.5–84.3 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.7%61.4–68.1 | 63.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.1%88.7–91.3 | 89.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.4%76.5–81.8 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.7%65.1–74.1 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.3%71.3–84.4 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.4%17.3–23.4 | 17.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.1%26.9–37.3 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.9%19.4–26.6 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.9%10.9–15.2 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.9%9.3–12.8 | 14.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.8–7.8 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.8%10–13.8 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.7%24.8–32.5 | 27.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.4%12.5–16.4 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.4%10.9–13.9 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 5.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%7.1–9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.4–4.3 | 3.8% | 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 York figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Athens
Is Athens a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Athens is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #412 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 65%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Athens?
CDC estimates 33.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.5% and 40.2%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Athens?
Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson, 4.7 miles in a straight line from Athens’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Athens have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7.1%), against 7.9% across New York.
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 Athens 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 Athens.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New York 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.