George Brothers Building · Photo: Stephen Schweitzer · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Lyme is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns
Lyme differs from New York on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 13622, 13693, 13624. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lyme
Cancer, arthritis and obesity run high in Lyme
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.9%), vs 7.7% across New York. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (33.5%), vs 24% across New York. Obesity is also above the state: 36.7%, vs 28.8% across New York. In all, Lyme runs above New York on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 36% of residents are 65 or older (New York 18%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Lyme keeps up with checkups
It beats New York on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.3% vs 80.8%) and dentist visits (68.1% vs 63.5%). Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in Lyme, and more people treating it
37.2% of adults have high blood pressure (New York 32.6%), but 80.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
Lyme is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its B+ tops all four graded neighbors. The closest is Hounsfield (B). Around town ↓
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 Lyme’s likely range; Lyme’s figures come from ZIP codes 13622, 13693, 13624, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Lyme’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lyme is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 89% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 46%).
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). Lyme’s median household income is $81,400; among the 10,691 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$102K), it’s healthier than 78%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Lyme adults…
Lyme runs below NY on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Lyme is an older town: 36% 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 Lyme as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lyme adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
Lyme and the towns around it
Lyme has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyme | B+ | 36.7% | 12% | 12% | ZIP codes |
| Brownville | B | 38.5% | 11.5% | 14.5% | ZIP codes |
| Cape Vincent | B | 37.3% | 13.2% | 12.9% | ZIP codes |
| Clayton | B | 38% | 11.3% | 14.3% | ZIP codes |
| Hounsfield | B | 37.8% | 10.8% | 13.9% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Lyme
No hospital or community health center in Lyme 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 Lyme; ≈ 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.
1.6 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
How Lyme adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Lyme does better than New York.
3 in 10 Lyme 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.5% of Lyme adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lyme adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lyme
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lyme is better than New York on 13 and worse on 6; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Lyme’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lyme | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.5%13.1–18.1 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.5–15.1 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.4–15.9 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.7%31.7–42.2 | 28.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12%10.3–13.8 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.2%33.5–41 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.2%35.4–43 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.5%30.2–36.8 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.8–12.3 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.9%10.8–13.1 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.6–8.5 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.5%6.3–8.8 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.2–4.2 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.3%6–8.9 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12%9.7–14.4 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.5%19.6–27.8 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.5–19.8 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.4%34–43 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.4%3.6–5.5 | 7.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.3%81.8–86.6 | 80.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.1%65.1–71 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.8%90.7–92.9 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.9%78.1–83.6 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74%70.2–77.6 | 66.8% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.5%72.5–83.7 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.9%16.3–21.7 | 17.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.6%23.6–31.9 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20%17–23.4 | 26.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.1%7.3–11.1 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.4%6.9–10 | 14.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.4–6.2 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.4%4.6–6.4 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.5%6.8–10.4 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.4%23.7–31.4 | 27.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.7%11.6–16 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.5%9.1–12.2 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.3–8.1 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.6–4.7 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%6–8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3–3.9 | 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 Lyme
Is Lyme a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lyme is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 78%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lyme?
CDC estimates 36.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.7% and 42.2%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lyme?
Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown, 15.2 miles in a straight line from Lyme’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lyme have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.6–5.5%), 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 Lyme 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 Lyme.
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.