Photo: Mwanner | Talk. Original uploader was Mwanner at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Brighton is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Brighton differs from New York on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 12970, 12976, 12939, 12945. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brighton
Brighton is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Brighton is healthier than 80%. Against the 10,055 towns with similar household incomes ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 96%. Health Grade ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Brighton doesn’t win on
20.6% of adults binge drink, vs 16.3% across New York, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Depression runs high in Brighton
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (22.7%), vs 17.5% across New York. Conditions ↓
Diabetes and stroke are less common in Brighton
Brighton runs below New York on four chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (8.1% vs 11.5%), stroke (2.7% vs 3.4%) and high cholesterol (30.8% vs 37.7%). 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 York figure falls outside Brighton’s likely range; Brighton’s figures come from ZIP codes 12970, 12976, 12939, 12945, 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 Brighton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brighton is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 33%).
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). Brighton’s median household income is $65,750; among the 10,055 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 96%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
63 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Brighton adults…
Brighton runs below NY on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Brighton
No hospital or community health center in Brighton 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 Brighton; ≈ 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 Brighton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
How Brighton adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Brighton runs above New York.
1 in 3 Brighton 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.
8.8% of Brighton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Brighton and the towns around it
Brighton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton | A− | 34.2% | 8.1% | 10.5% | ZIP codes |
| Santa Clara | — | — | — | — | |
| Franklin | B | 39.4% | 12.5% | 13.4% | ZIP codes |
| Duane | — | — | — | — | |
| Harrietstown | B− | 39.5% | 12.1% | 14.7% | ZIP codes |
Santa Clara and Duane: 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 Brighton adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brighton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brighton is better than New York on 12 and worse on 5; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Brighton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brighton | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14%11.4–17.3 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.5%9.7–13.4 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%14.8–20.8 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.2%27.9–40.7 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.1%6.9–9.5 | 11.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.4%24.1–30.6 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.8%27.2–34.2 | 37.7% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22.7%20.2–25.4 | 24% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.5–12.4 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%6.9–8.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.6–6.1 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%4.7–6.8 | 6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.3–3 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.4–14.1 | 12.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%8–13.1 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.9%16.6–25.6 | 25.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.6%17.1–24.2 | 16.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.4%27.1–38.1 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.7%3.3–7 | 7.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.7%72.8–80.3 | 80.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.5%66.3–72.5 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.1%80.1–87.2 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.5%68.7–74.2 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.3%70.1–78.1 | 66.8% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81%75–86.2 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.2–26.5 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 34.4%29–39.8 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23%18.8–27.5 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.9%7.9–14.7 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.4%7.1–11.8 | 14.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%4.5–6.8 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.4%5.7–9.3 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.8%6.4–11.7 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.6%21.8–31.9 | 27.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%8.5–12.1 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%10.6–16.8 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.1–4.5 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%5.8–9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.4–3.3 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Brighton
Is Brighton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brighton is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brighton?
CDC estimates 34.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.9% and 40.7%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brighton?
Adirondack Medical Center - Saranac Lake in Saranac Lake, 10.0 miles in a straight line from Brighton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Brighton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.3–7%), 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 Brighton 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 Brighton.
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.