Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Chester is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Chester beats New York on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Chester. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chester
Heart disease and stroke are less common in Chester
Chester runs below New York on heart disease (4.9% vs 6.1%) and stroke (2.8% vs 3.4%). Conditions ↓
Chester has a community health center but no hospital
Lasante Chester Health Center is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Garnet Health Medical Center in Middletown, 7.4 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Chester’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Chester’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chester is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, #222 of 755 in New York. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 85% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 67%.
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). Chester’s median household income is $100,514; among the 8,515 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($75K–$126K), it’s healthier than 81%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Chester adults…
Chester runs below NY on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Chester
1 community health center in Chester, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Chester; ≈ 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.
1.4 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Chester adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
How Chester adults are doing
About the same as New York on each measure.
1 in 3 Chester 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.
10.2% of Chester adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Chester and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Chester adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chester
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chester is better than New York on 8 and worse on 0; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Chester’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chester | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.4%13.3–17.7 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.9%10.4–13.5 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.3–17 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.9%25.8–36.3 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.1%8.7–11.6 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.4%27.1–33.6 | 32.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.9%30.3–37.5 | 37.7% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 23.4%20.7–26.1 | 24% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.7 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%6.8–8.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.3–5.6 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.1%4.3–6 | 6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.8%7–10.8 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%8.6–12.5 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23%19.5–26.9 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.3%12.7–18 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.6%32.5–42.8 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%5.6–8.4 | 7.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.1%76.9–82.9 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.1%64.9–71.2 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.2%88.6–91.6 | 89.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.9%72.7–78.8 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68%63.3–72.4 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.8%74.3–86.1 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.3%14.7–20 | 17.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31%27–35.4 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%21.1–27.7 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.1%10.9–15.5 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.1%11.1–15.3 | 14.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.1%6.1–8.2 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.3%6.3–8.3 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.2%8.4–12.3 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.6%20.3–27.1 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.8%9.1–12.5 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.1%9.6–12.7 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.7%4.1–5.4 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.5–7.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.7–3.5 | 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 Chester
Is Chester a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chester is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #222 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 81%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chester?
CDC estimates 30.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.8% and 36.3%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chester?
Garnet Health Medical Center in Middletown, 7.4 miles in a straight line from Chester’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chester have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–8.4%), 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 Chester 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 Chester.
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.