Photo: Shinerunner at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Lackawanna is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Lackawanna trails New York on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lackawanna. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lackawanna
COPD, depression and obesity run high in Lackawanna
1 in 10 adults have COPD (9.9%), vs 6% across New York. 1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (23%), vs 17.5% across New York. Obesity is also above the state: 37.7%, vs 28.8% across New York. In all, Lackawanna runs above New York on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Lackawanna
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (18.4%), vs 11.3% across New York. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Lackawanna
1 in 8 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off (12.6%), vs 8.2% across New York. Food insecurity (22.6% vs 17.2%) and no reliable transportation (12.1% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 24.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Health varies a lot right around Lackawanna
Grades next door run from Hamburg (A) to Buffalo (C−). Lackawanna is a C−. Around town ↓
Lackawanna is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Lackawanna is healthier than 17%. Against the 6,502 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 37%. 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 Lackawanna’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Lackawanna’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lackawanna is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, #741 of 755 in New York. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 38% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Lackawanna’s median household income is $52,110; among the 6,502 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 37%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Lackawanna adults…
Lackawanna runs above NY on 10 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.
5.4 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
24.1% of Lackawanna adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Lackawanna and the towns around it
Lackawanna’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lackawanna | C− | 37.7% | 13.2% | 18.4% | CDC place |
| Buffalo | C− | 38.4% | 13.4% | 16.5% | CDC place |
| West Seneca | — | — | — | — | |
| West Seneca | A− | 31% | 9.9% | 11.7% | ZIP codes |
| Hamburg | A | 30.7% | 9.4% | 11% | ZIP codes |
| Blasdell | B | 33.5% | 10% | 14.6% | CDC place |
West Seneca: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Lackawanna
No hospital or community health center in Lackawanna 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 Lackawanna; ≈ 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 Lackawanna adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
How Lackawanna adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Lackawanna runs above New York.
1 in 3 Lackawanna 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lackawanna adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lackawanna
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lackawanna is better than New York on 0 and worse on 21; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Lackawanna’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lackawanna | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.2%21.4–26.8 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.8–18.5 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.3%17.2–21.3 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.7%33.1–42.2 | 28.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.2%11.6–14.7 | 11.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.1%32.8–39.1 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.6%34.3–40.7 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.9%27.2–32.5 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.5%11.1–13.9 | 10.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.2%7.4–9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.9%8.7–11 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%4–4.7 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.3%17.1–23.5 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.4%16.1–20.8 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.3%28.5–35.9 | 25.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.5–19.6 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.6%36.7–44.4 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.6–10.3 | 7.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.6%78.8–84 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.9%51.8–57.8 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.7%83.9–87.2 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.9%75.2–80.3 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.3%59.3–67 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.4%70.8–81.3 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23%20.1–25.9 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.4%28.6–36.4 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.2%22.1–28.5 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.6%19.8–25.2 | 17.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.1%15.9–20.3 | 14.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.6%11.1–14.1 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.1%10.7–13.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.1%21.4–26.8 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.8%28.3–35.1 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.3%15.2–19.1 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%14.3–17.8 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.5–8.1 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.2%6.5–7.8 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.5%10.2–12.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.7%5.1–6.2 | 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 Lackawanna
Is Lackawanna a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lackawanna is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #741 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 37%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lackawanna?
CDC estimates 37.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.1% and 42.2%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lackawanna?
Mercy Hospital of Buffalo in Buffalo, 2.3 miles in a straight line from Lackawanna’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lackawanna have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–10.3%), 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 Lackawanna 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 Lackawanna.
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.