Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Within Vermont, Bennington is healthier than 26% of graded towns
Bennington trails Vermont on 16 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 05201, 05257. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bennington
Vermont sets a high bar
Bennington is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, but only 26% of the 71 Vermont towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Bennington
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (12.5%), vs 9.2% across Vermont. Housing insecurity (11.2% vs 8.6%) and utility shut-off threats (7.4% vs 5.7%) are higher too. 16.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD, heart disease and depression run high in Bennington
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.8%), vs 6.5% across Vermont. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.3%), vs 6.3% across Vermont. Depression is also above the state: 30.6%, vs 26.5% across Vermont. In all, Bennington runs above Vermont on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Bennington sleeps less
33.4% of adults sleep under 7 hours a night, vs 28.6% across Vermont. Habits ↓
Bennington is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Bennington is healthier than 67%. Against the 8,764 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$74K), it’s healthier than 92%. 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 Bennington’s likely range; Bennington’s figures come from ZIP codes 05201, 05257, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Bennington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bennington is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, #53 of 71 in Vermont. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 79% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 39%).
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). Bennington’s median household income is $59,446; among the 8,764 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$74K), it’s healthier than 92%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.4% of Bennington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Out of every 100 Bennington adults…
Bennington runs above VT on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Vermont
Share of adults, with the Vermont figure marked.
48 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Care in and near Bennington
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Bennington, 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 Bennington; ≈ 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 Bennington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How Bennington adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Bennington 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.
Bennington and the towns around it
Bennington’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bennington | B+ | 31.5% | 10.1% | 13.4% | ZIP codes |
| Pownal | B+ | 31.9% | 10.4% | 13.9% | ZIP codes |
| Woodford | — | — | — | — | |
| Shaftsbury | A− | 29.6% | 9.2% | 11.5% | ZIP codes |
Woodford: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bennington adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bennington
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bennington is better than Vermont on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Bennington’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bennington | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.1%14.8–19.6 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13–16.6 | 12.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.5–19.6 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.5%26.7–36.5 | 28.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.1%8.7–11.4 | 8.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.2%31.9–38.5 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.8%29.5–36.1 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.2%28.4–34.2 | 27.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.8–13.5 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.5–11.4 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.5–8.1 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%6.9–9 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.7%10.5–15.4 | 10.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.4%11.3–15.6 | 11.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 21.3%18–24.8 | 18.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%13.2–18.3 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.4%29.3–38.1 | 28.6% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.7%5.4–8.3 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.7%73.4–79.6 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.7%62.7–68.9 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.4%83.5–87.3 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.4%73.5–79.1 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.7%67–74.6 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.9%66.7–78.8 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.6%27.2–34.2 | 26.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.4%20.5–26.4 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.5%11.2–14 | 9.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.2%9.9–12.5 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.4–8.4 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%7.4–9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.4%14.8–18.3 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31%27.4–34.9 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.7%11.9–15.6 | 11% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.9%12.1–15.8 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.7–9.6 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%7.2–9.4 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.4–4.3 | 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 Bennington
Is Bennington a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bennington is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #53 of 71 in Vermont. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 92%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bennington?
CDC estimates 31.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.7% and 36.5%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bennington?
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Bennington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bennington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.4–8.3%), 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 Bennington 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 Bennington.
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.