Photo: Mfwills · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Berkshire is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns
Berkshire trails Vermont on 18 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 05450, 05476, 05447. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Berkshire
Making ends meet is harder in Berkshire
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (12.7%), vs 9.2% across Vermont. Utility shut-off threats (7.6% vs 5.7%) and no reliable transportation (8.2% vs 6.4%) are higher too. 16.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Obesity, COPD and diabetes run high in Berkshire
2 in 5 adults have obesity (38.2%), vs 28.6% across Vermont. 1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.3%), vs 6.5% across Vermont. Diabetes is also above the state: 10.7%, vs 8.8% across Vermont. In all, Berkshire runs above Vermont on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Berkshire
62.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 69.2% across Vermont. Among those 65 and older, 16% have lost all their teeth (Vermont 10.1%). Checkups ↓
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 Berkshire’s likely range; Berkshire’s figures come from ZIP codes 05450, 05476, 05447, 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 Berkshire’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Berkshire is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 71% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 34%).
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). Berkshire’s median household income is $71,406; among the 10,626 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$89K), it’s healthier than 65%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.5% of Berkshire adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Out of every 100 Berkshire adults…
Berkshire runs above VT on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Berkshire adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
Care in and near Berkshire
No hospital or community health center in Berkshire 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 Berkshire; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Vermont
Share of adults, with the Vermont figure marked.
How Berkshire adults are doing
About the same as Vermont on each measure.
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.
Berkshire and the towns around it
Berkshire’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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Berkshire adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Berkshire
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Berkshire is better than Vermont on 0 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Berkshire’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Berkshire | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.9%15.5–20.4 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%12.9–16.5 | 12.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%15.7–19.8 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.2%33–43.1 | 28.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 10.7%9.2–12.1 | 8.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.9%32.6–39 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34%30.8–37 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.4%27.5–33.1 | 27.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.4–13 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.7–10.5 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.7–8.4 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.3%7.2–9.5 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16%13.3–19 | 10.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.1–16.8 | 11.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 23.5%20.1–27.1 | 18.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.7%14.1–19.2 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.3%30.2–38.4 | 28.6% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.5%6.2–9 | 6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76%72.7–78.8 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.4%59.3–65.5 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.5%82.4–86.3 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.3%73.3–78.9 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.5%64.6–72.1 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72%65.8–77.7 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.8%22.6–28.8 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.3%20.6–26.2 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.7%11.3–14.2 | 9.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.6%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) | 16.5%14.8–18.4 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30%26.5–33.7 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.8%11.9–15.7 | 11% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.9%13.1–16.8 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.4–9.3 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.5–5.6 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.4–9.5 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.5–4.5 | 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 Berkshire
Is Berkshire a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Berkshire is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 65%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Berkshire?
CDC estimates 38.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 33% and 43.1%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Berkshire?
Northwestern Medical Center in Saint Albans, 19.8 miles in a straight line from Berkshire’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Berkshire have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.2–9%), 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 Berkshire 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 Berkshire.
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.