Checkerboard Inn · Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Monroe is healthier than 11%
Monroe differs from New York on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 10950, 10926. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Monroe
Mental distress runs high in Monroe
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.5%), vs 15% across New York. Depression is above the state too: 21.3%, vs 17.5% across New York. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Monroe
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (24%), vs 17.2% across New York. No reliable transportation (13.7% vs 8.6%) and utility shut-off threats (12.6% vs 8.2%) are higher too. 23.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Monroe trails towns with similar incomes
Monroe is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns, and only 11% of the 6,832 towns with similar household incomes ($84K–$140K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Health varies a lot right around Monroe
Grades next door run from Woodbury (A) to South Blooming Grove (C−). Monroe is a C+. Around town ↓
Cancer and diabetes are less common in Monroe
Monroe runs below New York on four chronic conditions, most of all cancer (6.2% vs 7.7%), diabetes (9.5% vs 11.5%) and high cholesterol (31.3% vs 37.7%). Conditions ↓
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 Monroe’s likely range; Monroe’s figures come from ZIP codes 10950, 10926, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Monroe’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Monroe is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns, #618 of 755 in New York. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 86% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Monroe’s median household income is $112,199; among the 6,832 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($84K–$140K), it’s healthier than 11%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most New York towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Monroe is healthier than 18% of graded towns, against 42% nationally.
Where Monroe compares well: high blood pressure, 28.3% (U.S. 34.4%); high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 31.3% (U.S. 37.1%); arthritis, 21.4% (U.S. 25.3%).
How Monroe adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Monroe runs above New York.
1 in 3 Monroe 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.
23.6% of Monroe adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Monroe and the towns around it
Monroe’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe | C+ | 33.1% | 9.5% | 16.7% | ZIP codes |
| Palm Tree | C+ | 33.2% | 9.5% | 17.1% | ZIP 10950 |
| Kiryas Joel | C− | 37% | 8.7% | 26.3% | CDC place |
| Blooming Grove | B+ | 31% | 9.8% | 12.3% | ZIP codes |
| Woodbury | — | — | — | — | |
| Woodbury | A | 29.1% | 9.2% | 9.2% | CDC place |
| Chester | A | 30% | 9.6% | 10.6% | ZIP codes |
| South Blooming Grove | C− | 37.6% | 12.8% | 18% | CDC place |
Woodbury: the same community as Woodbury, graded once. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Monroe adults…
Monroe runs below NY on 7 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Monroe
No hospital or community health center in Monroe 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 Monroe; ≈ 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.
14 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Monroe adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Monroe adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Monroe
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Monroe is better than New York on 7 and worse on 15; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Monroe’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Monroe | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.4%19–23.8 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%13–16.2 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.5%18.5–22.6 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.1%27.7–38.6 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.5%8.3–10.9 | 11.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.3%25.1–31.6 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.3%27.9–34.7 | 37.7% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 21.4%19–23.8 | 24% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.3–12.9 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.2%5.5–6.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.2%6.5–8 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.7–3.1 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.6%11.4–16.2 | 12.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7%14.7–18.8 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.2%24.5–32 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16%13.3–18.8 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.3%35–45.7 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.5%9.2–12 | 7.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76%72.5–79.3 | 80.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56%52.7–59.3 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.9%79.9–83.7 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.9%65.7–71.8 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.9%59.1–68.3 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.2%70.1–83 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.3%18.3–24.5 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 34.3%30.1–38.7 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.4%23.3–29.9 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24%21.5–26.7 | 17.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.5%17.4–21.7 | 14.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.6%11.3–14.2 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.7%12.4–15.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 23.6%21.6–25.9 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.7%27.2–34.2 | 27.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.4%10.9–13.9 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.7%16–19.6 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.8–6 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.6%6.1–7.2 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.9–12.1 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.1–4.9 | 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 Monroe
Is Monroe a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Monroe is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #618 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 Monroe?
CDC estimates 33.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.7% and 38.6%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Monroe?
Garnet Health Medical Center in Middletown, 13.0 miles in a straight line from Monroe’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Monroe have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.2–12%), 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 Monroe more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Monroe.
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.