Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Herkimer is healthier than 84%
Herkimer trails New York on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Herkimer. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Herkimer
COPD, obesity and arthritis run high in Herkimer
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.6%), vs 6% across New York. 37% of adults have obesity, vs 28.8% across New York. Arthritis is also above the state: 30.3%, vs 24% across New York. In all, Herkimer runs above New York on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Depression is more common in Herkimer
1 in 5 adults have been diagnosed with depression (21.1%), vs 17.5% across New York. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18%, vs 15% across New York. Mind & connection ↓
Smoking is more common in Herkimer
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (15.1%), vs 11.3% across New York. Habits ↓
Herkimer is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Herkimer is healthier than 43%. Against the 5,220 towns with similar household incomes ($36K–$61K), it’s healthier than 84%. 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 Herkimer’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Herkimer’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Herkimer is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns, #613 of 755 in New York. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 70% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 25%).
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). Herkimer’s median household income is $48,529; among the 5,220 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$61K), it’s healthier than 84%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most New York towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Herkimer is healthier than 19% of graded towns, against 43% nationally.
Out of every 100 Herkimer adults…
Herkimer runs above NY on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
How Herkimer adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Herkimer runs above New York.
1 in 3 Herkimer 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
0.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Herkimer
No hospital or community health center in Herkimer 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 Herkimer; ≈ 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 Herkimer 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.
16% of Herkimer adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Herkimer and the towns around it
Herkimer’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herkimer | C+ | 37% | 10.8% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| German Flatts | B | 36.5% | 10.7% | 14.2% | ZIP codes |
| Herkimer | C+ | 36.9% | 11.1% | 15% | ZIP codes |
| East Herkimer | — | — | — | — | |
| Mohawk | B− | 36.9% | 10.4% | 14.5% | CDC place |
East Herkimer: 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 Herkimer adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Herkimer
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Herkimer is better than New York on 0 and worse on 11; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Herkimer’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Herkimer | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.2%16.6–22.1 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.3–16.9 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16–20.1 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37%31.3–42.9 | 28.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.4–12.4 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.6%31.2–38.2 | 32.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.1%32.5–39.8 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.3%27.4–33.3 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.4%10.2–12.8 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.5–10.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.6%7.4–9.9 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.4–4.3 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.1%10.6–15.9 | 12.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.1%12.8–17.5 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.5%25.3–34.1 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15.4–21.2 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.5%31–42.2 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.6–8.3 | 7.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.3%76.2–82.3 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.9%56.3–63.4 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.6%84.8–88.2 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.2%73.5–78.5 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70%65.6–74.1 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%72.3–84.6 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.1%18.2–24.3 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.6%28–37.6 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.7%20.3–27.5 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16%13.4–19.1 | 17.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.2%11.2–15.4 | 14.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.2%7.1–9.6 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.1%7.9–10.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16%13.4–18.9 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.5%27.6–35.6 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.7%13.7–18.1 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%12.9–16.8 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.3–8.1 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%4.9–6.3 | 5.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.5–11.1 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.7–4.8 | 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 Herkimer
Is Herkimer a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Herkimer is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #613 of 755 in New York. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Herkimer?
CDC estimates 37% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.3% and 42.9%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Herkimer?
Little Falls Hospital in Little Falls, 7.4 miles in a straight line from Herkimer’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Herkimer have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–8.3%), 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 Herkimer more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Herkimer.
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.