Photo: Andre Carrotflower · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Watkins Glen is healthier than 82%
Watkins Glen trails New York on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Watkins Glen. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Watkins Glen
COPD, heart disease and cancer run high in Watkins Glen
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.5%), vs 6% across New York. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.2%), vs 6.1% across New York. Cancer is also above the state: 10.3%, vs 7.7% across New York. In all, Watkins Glen runs above New York on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 34% of residents are 65 or older (New York 18%), and COPD, heart disease and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Watkins Glen
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.1%), vs 11.3% across New York. Habits ↓
Watkins Glen is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Watkins Glen is healthier than 43%. Against the 5,656 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 82%. 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 Watkins Glen’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Watkins Glen’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Watkins Glen is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 77% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 24%).
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). Watkins Glen’s median household income is $49,632; among the 5,656 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 82%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Watkins Glen adults…
Watkins Glen runs above NY on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Watkins Glen is an older town: 34% 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 Watkins Glen as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
4 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Care in and near Watkins Glen
No hospital or community health center in Watkins Glen 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 Watkins Glen; ≈ 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 Watkins Glen adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
How Watkins Glen adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Watkins Glen runs above New York.
1 in 3 Watkins Glen 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.
15.6% of Watkins Glen adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Watkins Glen and the towns around it
Watkins Glen’s Health Grade ranks 5th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watkins Glen | C+ | 31.7% | 12.5% | 16.1% | CDC place |
| Dix | B− | 31.5% | 12% | 15.4% | ZIP codes |
| Hector | B+ | 30.5% | 11.4% | 13.3% | ZIP codes |
| Montour | B− | 30.9% | 12.5% | 15.1% | ZIP codes |
| Reading | B | 31.2% | 11.8% | 14.8% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Watkins Glen adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Watkins Glen
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Watkins Glen is better than New York on 0 and worse on 11; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Watkins Glen’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Watkins Glen | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.4%17.3–23.9 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%13.7–18.1 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15–19.3 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.7%24.5–39.3 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.7–14.5 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.4%33.1–41.6 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%34.1–42.9 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.9%28.3–35.5 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.2–13.1 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.2–11.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.2–9.4 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.5%8.1–11.2 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.8–4.9 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.7%12.9–18.9 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.1%13.2–19.1 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.8%22.9–32.9 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16%13.1–19 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.2%31.3–45.4 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.7%5.2–8.4 | 7.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.8%77.4–83.7 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.3%55.4–62.8 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.5%86.8–90.2 | 89.2% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.1%76.2–81.7 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.6%65.7–74.9 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.6%67.6–82.3 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.5%18.1–25 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.5%27.3–37.8 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.8%20.3–27.6 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.7%12.9–18.9 | 17.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.4%10.4–14.5 | 14.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.7–9.1 | 8.2% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.4%7.2–9.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.6%12.7–18.7 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.3%27.5–37.2 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%14.3–19.6 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.3%12.4–16.5 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.8–8.9 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%4.9–6.5 | 5.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.3–11.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4–5.4 | 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 Watkins Glen
Is Watkins Glen a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Watkins Glen is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Watkins Glen?
CDC estimates 31.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.5% and 39.3%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Watkins Glen?
Schuyler Hospital in Montour Falls, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Watkins Glen’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Watkins Glen have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–8.4%), 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 Watkins Glen 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 Watkins Glen.
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.