Common School 32 · Photo: Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Tompkins is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns
Tompkins trails New York on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 13856, 13783, 13839. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Tompkins
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Tompkins
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.5%), vs 6% across New York. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.2%), vs 6.1% across New York. Stroke is also above the state: 4.8%, vs 3.4% across New York. In all, Tompkins runs above New York on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (New York 18%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Tompkins
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (17.3%), vs 11.3% across New York. Habits ↓
Depression is more common in Tompkins
1 in 5 adults have been diagnosed with depression (21.4%), vs 17.5% across New York. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 17.1%, vs 15% across 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 Tompkins’ likely range; Tompkins’ figures come from ZIP codes 13856, 13783, 13839, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Tompkins’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tompkins is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 57% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Tompkins’ median household income is $61,103; among the 9,198 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 41%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Tompkins adults…
Tompkins runs above NY on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Tompkins is an older town: 31% 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 Tompkins as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
33 miles of trails across 24 parks and preserves
How Tompkins adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Tompkins runs above New York.
1 in 3 Tompkins 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 Tompkins
No hospital or community health center in Tompkins 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 Tompkins; ≈ 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 Tompkins adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.8% of Tompkins adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Tompkins and the towns around it
Tompkins’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tompkins | C | 35.3% | 13.9% | 17.3% | ZIP codes |
| Walton | C− | 36.1% | 14.3% | 18.3% | ZIP codes |
| Deposit | — | — | — | — | |
| Hancock | B− | 33.2% | 12.8% | 14.9% | ZIP codes |
| Masonville | C | 35.1% | 13.2% | 16.8% | ZIP codes |
Deposit: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Tompkins adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Tompkins
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Tompkins is better than New York on 0 and worse on 15; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Tompkins’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Tompkins | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.8%19–24.7 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15–18.9 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.1–19.1 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.3%28.8–42.1 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.9%12.1–15.8 | 11.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42%37.9–46 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.1%35.9–44.2 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.5%30–36.9 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–12.8 | 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 | 9.2%8.3–10.2 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.2%15.2–21.8 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.3%14.8–19.9 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.4%26.8–36 | 25.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%12.9–18.3 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.8%35.8–48.1 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%5.7–8.1 | 7.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.8%78.8–84.6 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.2%53.6–60.9 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.7%87.3–90.2 | 89.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.9%77.2–82.4 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69%64.4–73.5 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.6%68.5–82 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.4%18.3–24.6 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 31.1%25.7–37 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%20.3–28.6 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.3%14.4–20.5 | 17.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.9%10.8–15.2 | 14.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.7%7.4–10.2 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9%7.8–10.3 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.8%14.9–20.7 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.6%29.4–37.8 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.8%15.6–20.1 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.3%12.6–16.1 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.7–9.7 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.4%5.7–7.1 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.2%9–11.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.7–5.8 | 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 Tompkins
Is Tompkins a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tompkins is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 41%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Tompkins?
CDC estimates 35.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.8% and 42.1%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Tompkins?
Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton, 8.1 miles in a straight line from Tompkins’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Tompkins have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.7–8.1%), 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 Tompkins 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 Tompkins.
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.