Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Within New York, Riverhead is healthier than 42% of graded towns
Riverhead differs from New York on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 11901, 11933, 11792, 11949. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Riverhead
Every town around Riverhead scores healthier
All three graded neighbors are ahead of Riverhead’s B, from Brookhaven (A−) to Southold (A). Around town ↓
Cancer and COPD run high in Riverhead
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.6%), vs 7.7% across New York. 1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.2%), vs 6% across New York. In all, Riverhead runs above New York on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (New York 18%), and cancer and COPD are more common later in life. 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 Riverhead’s likely range; Riverhead’s figures come from ZIP codes 11901, 11933, 11792, 11949, 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 Riverhead’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Riverhead is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, #437 of 755 in New York. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 76% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). Riverhead’s median household income is $94,249; among the 9,390 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$118K), it’s healthier than 51%, about where its income would put it.
Riverhead and the towns around it
Riverhead’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverhead | B | 32% | 11.6% | 11.9% | ZIP codes |
| Brookhaven | A− | 29.8% | 9.7% | 10.3% | ZIP codes |
| Calverton | — | — | — | — | |
| Manorville | — | — | — | — | |
| Wading River | — | — | — | — | |
| Southampton | A | 29.5% | 10.4% | 9.1% | ZIP codes |
| East Shoreham | — | — | — | — | |
| Riverside | — | — | — | — |
Calverton, Manorville, Wading River, East Shoreham and Riverside: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Riverhead adults…
Riverhead runs above NY on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Riverhead is an older town: 29% 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 Riverhead as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Riverhead
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Riverhead, 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 Riverhead; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
84 miles of trails across 32 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Riverhead adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
How Riverhead adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Riverhead does better than New York.
3 in 10 Riverhead 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.
13.4% of Riverhead adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Riverhead adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Riverhead
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Riverhead is better than New York on 1 and worse on 6; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Riverhead’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Riverhead | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.4%17.1–21.8 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.5–15.8 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.7–17.1 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32%28.2–35.8 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.6%10.2–13.1 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%32.6–38.2 | 32.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.5%38.6–44.4 | 37.7% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 27.4%25–29.8 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.7–10.5 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.4–8 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.2%6.3–8.2 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.9%9.9–14.1 | 12.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%10.1–13.7 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.3%25.1–31.6 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%13.4–17.7 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.3%36.1–42.7 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.7%8.3–11.2 | 7.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.7%79.5–83.9 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.8%60.3–65.5 | 63.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.9%88.6–91 | 89.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.6%76–81 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.8%63.6–70 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.6%72.7–82 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.7%14.7–18.9 | 17.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30%26.5–33.8 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.5%21.5–27.8 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.2%14–18.7 | 17.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.6%11.9–15.6 | 14.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.6%6.6–8.7 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%7.1–9.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.4%11.5–15.4 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.7%27.6–34 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.2%13.3–17.2 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.9%11.5–14.5 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%6–7.5 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.8 | 5.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7.1–9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.6–4.5 | 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 Riverhead
Is Riverhead a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Riverhead is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #437 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 51%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Riverhead?
CDC estimates 32% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.2% and 35.8%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Riverhead?
Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead, 4.9 miles in a straight line from Riverhead’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Riverhead have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.3–11.2%), 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 Riverhead 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 Riverhead.
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.