Photo: Pubdog · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Gowanda is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns
Gowanda trails New York on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gowanda. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gowanda
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Gowanda
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11%), vs 6% across New York. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.8%), vs 6.1% across New York. Stroke is also above the state: 4.7%, vs 3.4% across New York. In all, Gowanda runs above New York on ten of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Gowanda
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (18.9%), vs 11.3% across New York. Habits ↓
Depression is more common in Gowanda
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (22.6%), vs 17.5% across New York. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.5%, vs 15% across New York. Mind & connection ↓
Gowanda is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Gowanda is healthier than 18%. Against the 6,403 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 40%. Health Grade ↓
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 Gowanda’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Gowanda’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gowanda is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 43% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Gowanda’s median household income is $51,828; among the 6,403 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 40%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Gowanda adults…
Gowanda runs above NY on 11 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
1.5 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How Gowanda adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Gowanda runs above New York.
1 in 3 Gowanda 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.
Care in and near Gowanda
1 community health center in Gowanda, 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 Gowanda; ≈ 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 Gowanda adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20% of Gowanda adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Gowanda and the towns around it
Gowanda’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gowanda | C− | 37.1% | 13.5% | 18.9% | CDC place |
| Persia | C− | 37.2% | 13.5% | 19% | ZIP codes |
| Collins | C | 36.8% | 11.7% | 18.3% | ZIP codes |
| Perrysburg | C | 36.6% | 12.8% | 17.9% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gowanda adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gowanda
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gowanda is better than New York on 0 and worse on 21; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Gowanda’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gowanda | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.5%20.7–26.5 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.7–19.3 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.7–20.3 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.1%32.1–42.6 | 28.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.5%12.1–15.1 | 11.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.6%36.6–42.8 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.6%37.4–44 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.5%30–35.2 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.1%11–13.3 | 10.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9.2–10.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.8%8–9.8 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11%9.6–12.4 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.3–5.3 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.4%14.9–20.1 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.9%16.5–21.4 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.9%27.9–36 | 25.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16%14–18.4 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.9%34.3–43.6 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%6–8.8 | 7.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.8%79.4–84 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.4%54.6–60.1 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.3%85.9–88.8 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.1%77.1–81.2 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.9%63.2–70.4 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.5%67.4–78.7 | 78.9% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%20–25.3 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.3%28.6–36.6 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.5%21.7–27.7 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.3%16.7–22.3 | 17.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.7%12.9–16.6 | 14.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.9%8.8–11.2 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.2%9.1–11.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20%17.3–23 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.6%31–38.3 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.9%16.6–21.2 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.8%14–17.6 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.6–9.3 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.3%10–12.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%4.9–6.2 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Gowanda
Is Gowanda a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gowanda is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns: C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 40%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gowanda?
CDC estimates 37.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.1% and 42.6%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gowanda?
Bertrand Chaffee Hospital in Springville, 14.4 miles in a straight line from Gowanda’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Gowanda have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6–8.8%), 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 Gowanda more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gowanda.
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.