Photo: Juliancolton · Public domainWithin New York, Poughkeepsie is healthier than 16% of graded towns
Poughkeepsie differs from New York on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Poughkeepsie. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Poughkeepsie
Making ends meet is harder in Poughkeepsie
1 in 7 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off (13.9%), vs 8.2% across New York. Food insecurity (25.2% vs 17.2%) and no reliable transportation (13.2% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 24.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Poughkeepsie
56.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.5% across New York. Among those 65 and older, 15.8% have lost all their teeth (New York 12.8%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Poughkeepsie
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (15%), vs 11.3% across New York. Habits ↓
Poughkeepsie is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Poughkeepsie is healthier than 41%. Against the 9,125 towns with similar household incomes ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 63%. 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 Poughkeepsie’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Poughkeepsie’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Poughkeepsie is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns, #632 of 755 in New York. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 62% of U.S. towns); no exercise 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). Poughkeepsie’s median household income is $60,741; among the 9,125 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 63%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
24.8% of Poughkeepsie adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Keeping up with care
Share of Poughkeepsie adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
8.1 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Poughkeepsie adults…
Poughkeepsie runs above NY on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Poughkeepsie
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Poughkeepsie, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Poughkeepsie; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Poughkeepsie adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Poughkeepsie runs above New York.
4 in 10 Poughkeepsie 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.
Poughkeepsie 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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poughkeepsie | C+ | 34.6% | 12.7% | 15% | CDC place |
| Poughkeepsie | A− | 29% | 10.1% | 11.4% | ZIP codes |
| Lloyd | A | 28.9% | 9.6% | 10.5% | ZIP codes |
| Fairview | — | — | — | — | |
| Arlington | — | — | — | — | |
| Vassar College | — | — | — | — |
Fairview, Arlington and Vassar College: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Poughkeepsie adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Poughkeepsie
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Poughkeepsie is better than New York on 1 and worse on 16; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Poughkeepsie’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Poughkeepsie | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22%19.6–24.7 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.8–16.1 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.6–19.4 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.6%29.3–40.6 | 28.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.7%11.2–14.4 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.5%34.1–41.3 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%31.4–38.6 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.2%23.5–29.1 | 24% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.4–13.1 | 10.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.2%6.6–7.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.3%6.5–8.1 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.7–4.4 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.8%13.1–18.7 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15%13.1–17.1 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.3%25.5–33.5 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.2%11.1–15.7 | 16.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.4%36.2–46.6 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.8%9.5–12.2 | 7.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80%77.1–82.9 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.5%53.2–59.8 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.4%85.9–88.8 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%74.3–79.4 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%63.9–72.4 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%72.7–84.1 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.9%16.3–21.9 | 17.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.1%31.2–41.1 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.2%24.6–32.1 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 25.2%22.4–28.4 | 17.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 21.4%18.9–24.1 | 14.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.9%12.2–15.6 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.2%11.7–14.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.8%22.3–27.5 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.7%28.2–35.6 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.9%14.1–17.8 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.4%13.8–17.2 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.2%6.6–7.8 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.2%9.2–11.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.8–5.8 | 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 Poughkeepsie
Is Poughkeepsie a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Poughkeepsie is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #632 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 63%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Poughkeepsie?
CDC estimates 34.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 40.6%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Poughkeepsie?
Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, 0.8 miles in a straight line from Poughkeepsie’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Poughkeepsie have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.5–12.2%), 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 Poughkeepsie more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Poughkeepsie.
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.