Photo: Jessamyn West · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Braintree is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns
Braintree trails Vermont on 7 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 05060, 05669. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Braintree
More Braintree adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (22.5%), vs 18.9% across Vermont. There are 17 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Arthritis, diabetes and heart disease run high in Braintree
1 in 3 adults have arthritis (32.5%), vs 27.8% across Vermont. 1 in 10 adults have diabetes (10.2%), vs 8.8% across Vermont. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.3%, vs 6.3% across Vermont. In all, Braintree runs above Vermont on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 33% of residents are 65 or older (Vermont 21%), and arthritis, diabetes and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
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 Braintree’s likely range; Braintree’s figures come from ZIP codes 05060, 05669, 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 Braintree’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Braintree is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 78% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 56%.
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). Braintree’s median household income is $79,803; among the 10,759 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$100K), it’s healthier than 85%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Vermont
Share of adults, with the Vermont figure marked.
Out of every 100 Braintree adults…
Braintree runs above VT on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Braintree is an older town: 33% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Vermont. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Braintree as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Braintree
No hospital or community health center in Braintree 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 Braintree; ≈ 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 Braintree adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How Braintree 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.2% of Braintree adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Braintree and the towns around it
Braintree’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braintree | B+ | 32.7% | 10.2% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
| Rochester | A | 29.3% | 10.7% | 11.1% | ZIP 05767 |
| Randolph | A− | 31.3% | 8.8% | 11.4% | ZIP codes |
| Brookfield | B+ | 32.9% | 10.1% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
| Granville | — | — | — | — | |
| Bethel | A | 29.9% | 9.8% | 11.5% | ZIP codes |
| Roxbury | — | — | — | — | |
| Randolph | — | — | — | — |
Granville and Roxbury: fewer than 1,000 residents. Randolph: 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 Braintree adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Braintree
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Braintree is better than Vermont on 0 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Braintree’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Braintree | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.7%14.4–19.2 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%12.1–15.6 | 12.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.7–17.5 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.7%27.9–37.8 | 28.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.9–11.8 | 8.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.3%31.8–38.7 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.3%32–38.9 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.5%29.4–35.7 | 27.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–12.9 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.9%9.9–12 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.4–8.1 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.6%6.4–8.7 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.7%8.8–12.7 | 10.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.5%10.5–14.7 | 11.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.5%19–26.3 | 18.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.6–17.4 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.2%25.3–33.2 | 28.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%4.9–7.3 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77%73.9–80 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.5%62.3–68.6 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.5%85.8–89.1 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79%76.2–81.6 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.3%65.4–72.8 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.4%69.5–80.7 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.7%23.5–30 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.2%18.7–24 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.9%7.9–10 | 9.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.5%7.5–9.5 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%5–6.5 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.2%10–12.6 | 11.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.4%23.9–31.1 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.8%10.9–14.8 | 11% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%10.7–13.9 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.6–9.6 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.8–4.9 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.4–8.3 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.1–4 | 3.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Braintree
Is Braintree a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Braintree is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 85%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Braintree?
CDC estimates 32.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.9% and 37.8%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Braintree?
Gifford Medical Center in Randolph, 4.2 miles in a straight line from Braintree’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Braintree have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–7.3%), 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 Braintree 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 Braintree.
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.