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Union StationUnion Station · Photo: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0
≈ B+Health Grade
Health in Ghent · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Ghent is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns

Ghent differs from New York on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 4 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 12075, 12037, 12534, 12184. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Ghent

Cancer, arthritis and COPD run high in Ghent

1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.3%), vs 7.7% across New York. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.4%), vs 24% across New York. COPD is also above the state: 7.8%, vs 6% across New York. In all, Ghent runs above New York on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Fewer Ghent 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 ↓

Nearly everyone in Ghent is insured

Only 5.2% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 7.9% across New York. Checkups ↓

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 Ghent’s likely range; Ghent’s figures come from ZIP codes 12075, 12037, 12534, 12184, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.

Health Grade

What’s behind Ghent’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ghent is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, #344 of 755 in New York. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 85% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 56%.

B+Self-rated health17% · NY 18.1% · U.S. 19.4%
BPhysical distress13.6% · NY 12.8% · U.S. 13%
A−Mental distress14.6% · NY 15% · U.S. 15.9%
A−Obesity30.9% · NY 28.8% · U.S. 32.9%
BDiabetes11.7% · NY 11.5% · U.S. 12%
B+Smoking12.5% smoke · NY 11.3% · U.S. 11.8%
BExercise24% · NY 25.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 73%
Less healthyHealthier
New York towns we grade (755)Healthier than 55%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $62K–$103K (10,609)Healthier than 80%

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). Ghent’s median household income is $82,092; among the 10,609 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($62K–$103K), it’s healthier than 80%, about where its income would put it.

Most New York towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Ghent is healthier than 55% of graded towns, against 73% nationally.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Ghent could be anywhere from C+ to A. The letter shows with “≈”. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 12075,12037,12534,12184), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Ghent adults…

Ghent runs above NY on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Ghent adults have had cancer
New York: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 10.2–12.4%
Better than NYWorseAbout the sameNew York
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 9
Ghent adults worry about having enough food
11.5% · NY 17.2%
Better than NY
1 in 10
Ghent adults worry about keeping their housing
9.6% · NY 14.5%
Better than NY
1 in 16
Ghent adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.1% · NY 8.2%
Better than NY
1 in 15
Ghent adults lack reliable transportation
6.5% · NY 8.6%
Better than NY

10.5% of Ghent adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Ghent adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.

82%Yearly checkupNY 81%
69%Dentist visitNY 64%
91%Cholesterol checkNY 89%
71%Colon screeningNY 67%
79%MammogramNY 79%
81%Taking BP medsNY 77%
1 in 19
working-age adults has no health insurance
Ghent 5.2% · New York 1 in 13 (7.9%)
Getting care

Care in and near Ghent

No hospital or community health center in Ghent itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERColumbia Memorial HospitalHudson · 8.1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyFairview Hospital★★★★★ · 16.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSun River Health HudsonHudson · 8.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
8.1 mi
Columbia Memorial Hospital
Hudson · ★★★★★
ER
8.3 mi
Sun River Health Hudson
Hudson · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
16.5 mi
Fairview Hospital
Great Barrington · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
16.6 mi
Community Health Programs, Incorporated
6 sites · nearest in Great Barrington
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
22.7 mi
Berkshire Medical Center
Pittsfield · ★★★★★
ER
23.9 mi
Albany VA Medical Center
Albany · ★★★★★
ERFor veterans
! Primary carePart of Ghent is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Hudson · need score 17 of 25
! Dental carePart of Ghent is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Hudson (City) · need score 15 of 25
✓ Mental healthGhent is not a shortage area

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 Ghent; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with New York

Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.

Get no exercise 24%NY 25.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 34.1%NY 37.9%
Binge drink 15.7%NY 16.3%
Smoke cigarettes 12.5%NY 11.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Ghent, betterGhent, worseAbout the sameNew York
Where Ghent gets moving

10 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Ghent adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, Ghent does better than New York.

3 in 10Ghent adults feel lonely
29.9% · NY 34.2% · About the same as NY
1 in 5Ghent adults lack social or emotional support
22.2% · NY 26.4% · Better than NY
1 in 5Ghent adults have been diagnosed with depression
19.8% · NY 17.5% · About the same as NY
1 in 7Ghent adults are in frequent mental distress
14.6% · NY 15% · About the same as NY
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Ghent adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Ghent and the towns around it

Ghent’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 7 graded towns around it.

Claverack: 31.9%Kinderhook: 29.7%Austerlitz: 28.5%Chatham: 29%Stockport: 32.5%Hillsdale: 29.7%Stottville: 32.2%Greenport: 32.8%Lorenz Park: 33.4%Taghkanic: 30.6%Livingston: 32.2%Stuyvesant: 30.6%Canaan: 29%Nassau: 30.4%New Lebanon: 30.1%Coxsackie: 34.8%Athens: 33.7%Copake: 30.9%Ghent: 30.9%GhentClaverackKinderhookAusterlitzChathamStockportHillsdaleStottvilleColumbia Memorial Hospital · Hudson · 8.1 mi · 1★ MedicareHFairview Hospital · Great Barrington · 16.5 mi · 5★ MedicareHSun River Health Hudson · Hudson · 8.3 mi+CHP Barrington Ob-Gyn · Great Barrington · 16.6 mi+
Healthier than NYNear NYLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#10 of 19 towns on this map, healthiest first
Austerlitz28.5%
Chatham29%
Kinderhook29.7%
Hillsdale29.7%
Ghent30.9%
Claverack31.9%
Stottville32.2%
Stockport32.5%
NY28.8%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
GhentB+30.9%11.7%12.5%ZIP codes
ClaverackB31.9%12.4%13.9%ZIP codes
KinderhookA−29.7%10.9%11.4%ZIP codes
AusterlitzA28.5%10.6%9.9%ZIP codes
ChathamA29%10.8%10.3%ZIP codes
StockportB−32.5%12.4%14.5%ZIP codes
HillsdaleA−29.7%11.6%11.7%ZIP codes
Stottville————

Stottville: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

28.4%

of Ghent adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.5%
Thinking or memory11.5%
Hearing7.3%
Errands alone7.7%
Vision4.6%
Dressing or bathing3.9%
New York

Every CDC estimate for Ghent

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ghent is better than New York on 9 and worse on 4; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Ghent’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…GhentNYU.S.vs NY
Overall health
Fair or poor health17%14.4–20.118.1%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)13.6%11.8–15.712.8%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)14.6%12.8–16.515%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity30.9%24.5–3828.8%32.9%About the same
Diabetes11.7%9.9–13.511.5%12%About the same
High blood pressure36.7%32.6–40.932.6%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)41.9%37.5–46.337.7%37.1%About the same
Arthritis31.4%28–3524%25.3%Worse
Asthma10.8%9.6–12.210.3%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer11.3%10.2–12.47.7%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease7.7%6.7–8.76.1%6.4%Worse
COPD7.8%6.6–9.26%6.3%Worse
Stroke3.9%3.4–4.33.4%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)15.4%12.7–18.412.8%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes12.5%10.2–15.111.3%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work24%19.8–28.725.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking15.7%13–18.816.3%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours34.1%28.2–40.337.9%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)5.2%4.2–6.47.9%11%Better
Checkup in the past year82%78.8–84.980.8%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year68.8%65.6–71.963.5%63.2%Better
Cholesterol check in 5 years91%89.7–92.389.2%87.1%Better
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)80.8%77.8–83.477.2%76.5%Better
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)70.6%66.1–74.966.8%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)78.5%71.5–84.578.9%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression19.8%16.8–23.117.5%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely29.9%25.1–34.834.2%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support22.2%18.7–25.826.4%23.6%Better
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food11.5%9.3–13.917.2%15%Better
Worried about keeping housing9.6%8–11.314.5%12%Better
Threatened with a utility shut-off6.1%5.1–7.18.2%7.6%Better
Lack reliable transportation6.5%5.5–7.58.6%7.9%Better
Received SNAP (food stamps)10.5%8.4–12.814.1%11.6%Lower
Disability
Any disability28.4%24.3–32.927.2%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs14.5%12.2–1713.4%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering11.5%9.9–13.312.1%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty7.3%6.3–8.25.6%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty4.6%4–5.35.2%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone7.7%6.6–8.97.7%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.9%3.3–4.53.8%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 Ghent

Is Ghent a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ghent is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #344 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 80%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Ghent?

CDC estimates 30.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.5% and 38%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Ghent?

Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson, 8.1 miles in a straight line from Ghent’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.

How many people in Ghent 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 Ghent 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 Ghent.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.