Photo: Wayne Blanchard (VtWayne at en.wikipedia) · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Vermont, Bellows Falls is healthier than 13% of graded towns
Bellows Falls trails Vermont on 12 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bellows Falls. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bellows Falls
Vermont sets a high bar
Bellows Falls is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns, but only 13% of the 71 Vermont towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Every town around Bellows Falls scores healthier
All three graded neighbors are ahead of Bellows Falls’ B, from Walpole (B+) to Westminster (A−). Around town ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Bellows Falls
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (12.1%), vs 9.2% across Vermont. Utility shut-off threats (7.7% vs 5.7%) and housing insecurity (11.3% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 17.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Bellows Falls
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.5%), vs 11.2% across Vermont. Habits ↓
Bellows Falls is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Bellows Falls is healthier than 58%. Against the 7,752 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 88%. 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 Bellows Falls’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Bellows Falls’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bellows Falls is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns, #62 of 71 in Vermont. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 87% of U.S. towns); mental 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). Bellows Falls’ median household income is $56,086; among the 7,752 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 88%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Bellows Falls and the towns around it
Bellows Falls’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellows Falls | B | 28.8% | 10.2% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| Rockingham | A− | 27.6% | 9.8% | 13.1% | ZIP codes |
| Westminster | A− | 25.5% | 9.1% | 12.1% | ZIP codes |
| North Westminster | — | — | — | — |
North Westminster: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
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 Bellows Falls 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.
0.7 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Bellows Falls adults…
Bellows Falls runs above VT on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Bellows Falls
No hospital or community health center in Bellows Falls 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 Bellows Falls; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bellows Falls adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How Bellows Falls adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Bellows Falls 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bellows Falls adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bellows Falls
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bellows Falls is better than Vermont on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Bellows Falls’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bellows Falls | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.9%16–21.7 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.1–16.9 | 12.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.6%16.4–20.8 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.8%24.4–33.4 | 28.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.8–11.8 | 8.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.5%29.3–35.6 | 31.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.4%29.4–35.6 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.8%27.1–32.5 | 27.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.6–13.2 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.5 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.1–8 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.6%7.1–10 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.6%11.8–17.5 | 10.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.5%12.5–18.5 | 11.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 22.3%18.6–26.1 | 18.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.5–18.3 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.3%26.3–34.6 | 28.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.1%5.6–8.9 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.7%70.3–76.9 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64%60.7–67.1 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.5%82.2–86.7 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.8%73.9–79.6 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.7%63.2–71.7 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.1%69.8–81.4 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.9%25.8–32.3 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.3%20.3–26.2 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.1%10.7–13.6 | 9.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.3%10–12.7 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.7%6.7–8.7 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%7.4–9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.8%15.7–19.8 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.6%27.7–35.6 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.8%11.6–16 | 11% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%13–17.2 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.6–9.7 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%7.7–10.2 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.7–5 | 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 Bellows Falls
Is Bellows Falls a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bellows Falls is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #62 of 71 in Vermont. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 88%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bellows Falls?
CDC estimates 28.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.4% and 33.4%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bellows Falls?
Springfield Hospital in Springfield, 12.2 miles in a straight line from Bellows Falls’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Bellows Falls have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–8.9%), 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 Bellows Falls 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 Bellows Falls.
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.