Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Horseheads is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns
Horseheads differs from New York on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Horseheads. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Horseheads
Horseheads is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Horseheads is healthier than 74%. Against the 9,233 towns with similar household incomes ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 95%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, arthritis and COPD run high in Horseheads
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 7.7% across New York. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.7%), vs 24% across New York. COPD is also above the state: 7.3%, vs 6% across New York. In all, Horseheads runs above New York on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (New York 18%), and cancer, arthritis and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Horseheads 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 Horseheads is insured
Only 5.4% 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 Horseheads’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Horseheads’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Horseheads is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns, #334 of 755 in New York. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 90% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 55%.
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). Horseheads’ median household income is $61,223; among the 9,233 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 95%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most New York towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Horseheads is healthier than 56% of graded towns, against 74% nationally.
Out of every 100 Horseheads adults…
Horseheads runs above NY on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Horseheads is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across New York. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Horseheads as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.7% of Horseheads adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Keeping up with care
Share of Horseheads adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
Care in and near Horseheads
No hospital or community health center in Horseheads 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 Horseheads; ≈ 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.
5.5 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
How Horseheads adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Horseheads runs above New York.
1 in 3 Horseheads 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.
Horseheads 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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horseheads | B+ | 27.9% | 10.5% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| Horseheads North | — | — | — | — |
Horseheads North: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Horseheads adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Horseheads
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Horseheads is better than New York on 6 and worse on 5; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Horseheads’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Horseheads | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.6%14.3–19.2 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12–15.5 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14–17.9 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.9%22.1–34.4 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9.1–12.1 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.3%32.5–40.4 | 32.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.3%34.2–42.7 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.7%26.7–33.1 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.6–12.1 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%9.9–12.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.4–8.1 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.3%6.3–8.5 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.3–4.2 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.7%9.6–14.2 | 12.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.4%10.4–14.5 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25%21–29.6 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.3%12.8–18.3 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33%27.3–39.2 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.4%4.4–6.6 | 7.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.1%79.1–85 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.2%61.7–68.7 | 63.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.9%88.4–91.3 | 89.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.2%77.6–82.6 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70%65.3–74.3 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.1%68.8–82.6 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.5%17.6–23.8 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.4%26.8–38 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23%19.2–27 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.7%9.6–14.1 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.3–11.8 | 14.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.1%5.2–7.2 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.7%5.7–7.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.7%8.7–12.8 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.5%24.8–32.6 | 27.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%12–16.4 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.2%10.7–13.9 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.4–8.3 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%4–5.1 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%7–9.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.1–4 | 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 Horseheads
Is Horseheads a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Horseheads is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #334 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Horseheads?
CDC estimates 27.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.1% and 34.4%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Horseheads?
Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira, 4.8 miles in a straight line from Horseheads’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Horseheads have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–6.6%), 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 Horseheads 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 Horseheads.
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.