Bennett Hill Farm · Photo: TrudiJ · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, New Scotland is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
New Scotland differs from New York on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 12186, 12067, 12159, 12054. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in New Scotland
Cancer and depression run high in New Scotland
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.5%), vs 7.7% across New York. 1 in 5 adults have been diagnosed with depression (20.6%), vs 17.5% across New York. Conditions ↓
New Scotland is an active town
Only 18.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.9% across New York. The town has 66 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
New Scotland keeps up with checkups
It beats New York on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (73.2% vs 63.5%) and cholesterol checks (91.7% vs 89.2%). 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 New Scotland’s likely range; New Scotland’s figures come from ZIP codes 12186, 12067, 12159, 12054, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind New Scotland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New Scotland is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #89 of 755 in New York. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 95% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 88%.
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). New Scotland’s median household income is $122,659; among the 5,352 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($92K–$153K), it’s healthier than 91%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 New Scotland adults…
New Scotland runs below NY on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
66 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of New Scotland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
Care in and near New Scotland
No hospital or community health center in New Scotland 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 New Scotland; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How New Scotland adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, New Scotland runs above New York.
1 in 3 New Scotland 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.
6.3% of New Scotland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
New Scotland and the towns around it
New Scotland’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Scotland | A | 28.6% | 9% | 9.4% | ZIP codes |
| Bethlehem | A+ | 28.3% | 8.6% | 9.2% | ZIP codes |
| Guilderland | A | 29% | 8.9% | 9.8% | ZIP codes |
| Coeymans | A− | 30.9% | 9.8% | 12.3% | ZIP codes |
| Berne | A− | 31.9% | 10.6% | 13.1% | ZIP codes |
| Westerlo | B+ | 32.5% | 10.7% | 13.4% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of New Scotland adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for New Scotland
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, New Scotland is better than New York on 16 and worse on 3; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside New Scotland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | New Scotland | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.5%10.7–14.5 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%9.9–12.8 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.7–14.9 | 15% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.6%24.5–33 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9%7.7–10.3 | 11.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33.2%30.1–36.5 | 32.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%35.1–42 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.2%24.5–30 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.3–11.6 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.5%9.6–11.5 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.6%4.7–6.5 | 6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.1%6.6–9.8 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.4%7.8–11.2 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.2%15.4–21.3 | 25.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.5%15.8–21.2 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.4%29.2–37.9 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.9%3.2–4.8 | 7.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.4%78.8–83.8 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.2%70.5–75.8 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.7%90.6–92.8 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.5%76.7–82 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.1%71.4–78.6 | 66.8% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.1%76.8–86.9 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%18–23.4 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.1%28–36.5 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.7%17.8–23.9 | 26.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.7%6.2–9.3 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.3%6.1–8.7 | 14.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.5%3.8–5.3 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.8%4.2–5.6 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.3%5–7.8 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.5%20.5–26.7 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.5%9–12.2 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.7%8.5–11.1 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.6%5–6.4 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.8%5.1–6.6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 New Scotland
Is New Scotland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New Scotland is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #89 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 91%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in New Scotland?
CDC estimates 28.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.5% and 33%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to New Scotland?
St. Peter's Hospital in Albany, 7.4 miles in a straight line from New Scotland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in New Scotland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.2–4.8%), 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 New Scotland more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in New Scotland.
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.