Within New York, Owego is healthier than 17% of graded towns
Owego differs from New York on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Owego. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Owego
COPD, heart disease and arthritis run high in Owego
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.5%), vs 6% across New York. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.1%), vs 6.1% across New York. Arthritis is also above the state: 30.9%, vs 24% across New York. In all, Owego runs above New York on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Owego
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.6%), vs 11.3% across New York. Habits ↓
Owego is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Owego is healthier than 41%. Against the 8,950 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 64%. 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 Owego’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Owego’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Owego is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns, #630 of 755 in New York. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 73% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 26%).
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). Owego’s median household income is $60,139; among the 8,950 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 64%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Owego adults…
Owego runs above NY on 7 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.
0.3 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Care in and near Owego
No hospital or community health center in Owego 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 Owego; ≈ 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 Owego adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
How Owego adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Owego runs above New York.
3 in 10 Owego 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.
17.7% of Owego adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Owego 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Owego adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Owego
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Owego is better than New York on 1 and worse on 9; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Owego’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Owego | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.7%17.3–24.5 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%13.5–18.2 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15–19.8 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.7%26–40.3 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.7–14.6 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.9%33.8–42.1 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.1%34.8–43.3 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.9%27.5–34.4 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.3–13.2 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.9%8.9–10.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7–9.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.5%7.8–11.5 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.7–5 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14%11.4–16.9 | 12.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.6%12.2–19 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29%23.7–34.8 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.1–18.7 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.5%33.6–45.6 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.5%4.9–8.6 | 7.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.8%77.5–83.7 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.9%57.4–64.4 | 63.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.6%85.4–89.6 | 89.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.6%75.8–81 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.6%65.9–75 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%74–85.8 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.5%19.2–26 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 30.5%25.4–35.8 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.8%18–25.8 | 26.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17%12.9–21.2 | 17.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.3%10.5–16.2 | 14.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9%7.3–10.8 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.3%7.6–11.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.7%13.4–22.1 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.3%27.5–37.5 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%14.1–20 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%12.4–17.3 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.7–8.8 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.2%5.2–7.3 | 5.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.3%8.5–12.1 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.1–5.9 | 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 Owego
Is Owego a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Owego is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #630 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 64%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Owego?
CDC estimates 32.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 26% and 40.3%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Owego?
Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, 16.7 miles in a straight line from Owego’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Owego have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–8.6%), 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 Owego more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Owego.
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.