Photo: Kosboot · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Southold is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns
Southold differs from New York on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 11971, 11935, 11952, 11957. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Southold
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Southold
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.2%), vs 7.7% across New York. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.3%), vs 24% across New York. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.2%, vs 6.1% across New York. In all, Southold runs above New York on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (New York 18%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Southold keeps up with checkups
It beats New York on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.3% vs 80.8%) and dentist visits (70.3% vs 63.5%). Checkups ↓
Southold adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (26.5% vs 34.2%), frequent mental distress (12.7% vs 15%) and lack of emotional support (20% vs 26.4%) all run below New York. Mind & connection ↓
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 Southold’s likely range; Southold’s figures come from ZIP codes 11971, 11935, 11952, 11957, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Southold’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Southold is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns, #144 of 755 in New York. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 96% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 73%.
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). Southold’s median household income is $116,667; among the 6,198 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($88K–$146K), it’s healthier than 81%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Southold adults…
Southold runs below NY on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Southold is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across New York. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Southold as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Southold adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
How Southold adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Southold does better than New York.
1 in 4 Southold 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.
Care in and near Southold
1 community health center in Southold, 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 Southold; ≈ 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.
44 miles of trails across 31 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.7% of Southold adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Southold and the towns around it
Southold’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southold | A | 28.1% | 10.5% | 8.3% | ZIP codes |
| East Hampton | A | 29.5% | 10.2% | 8.7% | ZIP codes |
| Shelter Island | A− | 29.5% | 11.9% | 9.9% | ZIP codes |
| Riverhead | B | 32% | 11.6% | 11.9% | ZIP codes |
| Shelter Island Heights | — | — | — | — | |
| Northville | — | — | — | — | |
| Greenport West | — | — | — | — | |
| Mattituck | — | — | — | — |
Shelter Island Heights, Northville, Greenport West and Mattituck: 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 Southold adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Southold
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Southold is better than New York on 17 and worse on 5; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Southold’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Southold | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.5%12.2–17.2 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.4–13.9 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.7%11.1–14.4 | 15% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.1%24.5–31.8 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9–12.1 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.8%32.9–38.9 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.8%40.8–46.9 | 37.7% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 29.3%26.7–32.1 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.3 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.2%11–13.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.3–8.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.2%5–7.5 | 6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3–4 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8%6.6–9.6 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.3%6.6–10.3 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22.1%18.8–25.8 | 25.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15%13–17.1 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.2%32.1–38.5 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.2%4.1–6.4 | 7.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.3%82.2–86.2 | 80.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.3%68–72.7 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.8%91.6–93.8 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.5%79–83.8 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.4%69.4–75.4 | 66.8% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%75.8–84.4 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.8%13.8–18 | 17.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26.5%23.1–30.3 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20%17.2–23.2 | 26.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.7%6.9–10.7 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.7%6.3–9.2 | 14.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.4%3.7–5.2 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.9%4.1–5.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.7%5.2–8.5 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.6%23.2–30.2 | 27.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.1%10.9–15.6 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.6%8.2–11.2 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6–7.9 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.2%5.2–7.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.5–3.6 | 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 Southold
Is Southold a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Southold is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns: A for health, #144 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 81%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Southold?
CDC estimates 28.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.5% and 31.8%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Southold?
Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London, 17.7 miles in a straight line from Southold’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Southold have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.1–6.4%), 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 Southold more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Southold.
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.