Socialist Labor Party Hall · Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Vermont, Barre is healthier than 3% of graded towns
Barre differs from Vermont on 20 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Barre. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Barre
Dental care lags in Barre
58.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 69.2% across Vermont. Among those 65 and older, 21.1% have lost all their teeth (Vermont 10.1%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Barre
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (15.3%), vs 9.2% across Vermont. Utility shut-off threats (9.2% vs 5.7%) and no reliable transportation (10% vs 6.4%) are higher too. 22.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Barre
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (17.3%), vs 11.2% across Vermont. Habits ↓
Barre is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Barre is healthier than 46%. Against the 10,038 towns with similar household incomes ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 64%. 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 Vermont figure falls outside Barre’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Barre’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Barre is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns, #69 of 71 in Vermont. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 77% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Barre’s median household income is $65,625; among the 10,038 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 64%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Keeping up with care
Share of Barre adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
22.2% of Barre adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Everyday habits, side by side with Vermont
Share of adults, with the Vermont figure marked.
5.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Barre adults…
Barre runs below VT on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Barre
1 community health center in Barre, 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 Barre; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Barre adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Barre runs above Vermont.
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.
Barre 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barre | B− | 31.8% | 11.1% | 17.3% | CDC place |
| Barre | — | — | — | — | |
| South Barre | — | — | — | — | |
| Berlin | A | 26.8% | 8.7% | 11.6% | ZIP codes |
Barre: not graded. South Barre: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Barre adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Barre
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Barre is better than Vermont on 1 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Barre’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Barre | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.8%17.2–22.6 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.3–16.9 | 12.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.8–21.1 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.8%27.6–36 | 28.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.7–12.5 | 8.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.1%30.4–35.9 | 31.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.4%30.6–36.3 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30%27.5–32.5 | 27.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.7–13.2 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8.2–9.7 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.5–8.1 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.1%7.9–10.5 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.1%17.7–24.9 | 10.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.3%14.6–20.3 | 11.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24.6%21–28.4 | 18.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%13.3–17.7 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.1%24.2–32.1 | 28.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%6.6–10.1 | 6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.2%70.1–76.2 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.1%54.7–61.4 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.3%80.1–84.4 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.4%73.6–78.8 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.7%56.4–64.8 | 69.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.8%63.7–76.9 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.6%27.5–33.8 | 26.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.9%21–26.8 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.3%13.6–17.1 | 9.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.8%11.3–14.3 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.2%8–10.4 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10%9–10.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22.2%19.9–24.5 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.7%29–36.4 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%12.2–16.1 | 11% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.2%14.1–18.3 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.9%8–9.9 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.3–6.8 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.5–11.1 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.2–5.4 | 3.1% | 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 Vermont figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Barre
Is Barre a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Barre is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #69 of 71 in Vermont. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 64%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Barre?
CDC estimates 31.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.6% and 36%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Barre?
Central Vermont Medical Center in Barre, 1.9 miles in a straight line from Barre’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Barre have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–10.1%), against 6% across Vermont.
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 Barre more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Barre.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Vermont 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.