Palmer Brook Bridge · Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Black Brook is healthier than 83%
Black Brook differs from New York on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 12912, 12985, 12981. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Black Brook
Black Brook is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Black Brook is healthier than 64%. Against the 10,311 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 83%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, COPD and depression run high in Black Brook
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.1%), vs 7.7% across New York. 1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.8%), vs 6% across New York. Depression is also above the state: 22.4%, vs 17.5% across New York. In all, Black Brook runs above New York on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 36% of residents are 65 or older (New York 18%), and cancer and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
The nearest ER is 20 miles from Black Brook
The closest emergency room is Adirondack Medical Center - Saranac Lake in Saranac Lake, 20.4 miles away in a straight line. Getting care ↓
Smoking is more common in Black Brook
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (14.2%), vs 11.3% across New York. Habits ↓
Fewer Black Brook adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below New York. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Black Brook’s likely range; Black Brook’s figures come from ZIP codes 12912, 12985, 12981, 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 Black Brook’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Black Brook is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 71% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 51%.
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). Black Brook’s median household income is $67,852; among the 10,311 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 83%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Black Brook adults…
Black Brook runs above NY on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Black Brook is an older town: 36% 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 Black Brook as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Black Brook
No hospital or community health center in Black Brook 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 Black Brook; ≈ 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.
174 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.7% of Black Brook adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Keeping up with care
Share of Black Brook adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
How Black Brook adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Black Brook runs above New York.
1 in 3 Black Brook 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.
Black Brook and the towns around it
Black Brook’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Brook | B | 33.6% | 10.7% | 14.2% | ZIP codes |
| Jay | B+ | 34.6% | 11.1% | 13.6% | ZIP codes |
| Au Sable Forks | — | — | — | — | |
| Saranac | B− | 33.8% | 11.5% | 15.2% | ZIP codes |
| Franklin | B | 39.4% | 12.5% | 13.4% | ZIP codes |
| Peru | B+ | 32.1% | 9.8% | 13% | ZIP codes |
| Wilmington | A− | 33.9% | 10.5% | 11.9% | ZIP 12997 |
| Au Sable | B+ | 33% | 10.2% | 13.5% | ZIP codes |
Au Sable Forks: 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 Black Brook adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Black Brook
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Black Brook is better than New York on 7 and worse on 7; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Black Brook’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Black Brook | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.1%14.7–19.6 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.4–15.8 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.8–18.3 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.6%28.7–38.8 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.7%9.4–12.2 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.1%31.9–38.4 | 32.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.5%34.1–40.9 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.7%26.9–32.5 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.5–12.8 | 10.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9.2–11 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.2–7.8 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%6.6–9 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–4 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.2%10.4–14.5 | 12.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%11.9–16.6 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.2%21.5–29 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%14.2–19.2 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.2%30–38.7 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.2%4.2–6.4 | 7.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.8%78.1–83.4 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.9%61.2–66.9 | 63.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.8%88.4–91.1 | 89.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.1%75.5–80.5 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.4%68.9–75.8 | 66.8% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77%71.5–82.1 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.4%19.6–25.2 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 31.5%27.5–35.5 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%19–25 | 26.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.6%9.5–13.8 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.2%8.5–11.9 | 14.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.4%5.5–7.4 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%5.7–7.6 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.7%8.7–12.9 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.7%24.3–31.2 | 27.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.2%11.4–15.1 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.7%11.1–14.4 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.8–7.3 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.8–4.9 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.8–8.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.2–4.1 | 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 Black Brook
Is Black Brook a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Black Brook is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Black Brook?
CDC estimates 33.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.7% and 38.8%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Black Brook?
Adirondack Medical Center - Saranac Lake in Saranac Lake, 20.4 miles in a straight line from Black Brook’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Black Brook have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.2–6.4%), 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 Black Brook 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 Black Brook.
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.