Photo: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0Within Vermont, Brandon is healthier than 19% of graded towns
Brandon differs from Vermont on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 05733. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brandon
Vermont sets a high bar
Brandon is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, but only 19% of the 71 Vermont towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, obesity and diabetes run high in Brandon
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.5%), vs 6.5% across Vermont. 1 in 3 adults have obesity (35.6%), vs 28.6% across Vermont. Diabetes is also above the state: 10.8%, vs 8.8% across Vermont. In all, Brandon runs above Vermont on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Brandon adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (23%), vs 18.9% across Vermont. There are 15 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Brandon, and more people treating it
37.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Vermont 31.4%), but 79.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Brandon is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Brandon is healthier than 62%. Against the 9,758 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 84%. 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 Brandon’s likely range; Brandon’s figures come from ZIP code 05733, 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 Brandon’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brandon is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, #58 of 71 in Vermont. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 70% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 36%).
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). Brandon’s median household income is $64,180; among the 9,758 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 84%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Brandon adults…
Brandon runs above VT on 10 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.
15 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Brandon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
Care in and near Brandon
1 community health center in Brandon, 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 Brandon; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Brandon 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% of Brandon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Brandon and the towns around it
Brandon’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon | B | 35.6% | 10.8% | 13.9% | ZIP 05733 |
| Pittsford | B | 36.5% | 10.3% | 13.8% | ZIP codes |
| Goshen | — | — | — | — | |
| Leicester | B+ | 34.2% | 10.4% | 13.3% | ZIP codes |
| Chittenden | A− | 34.3% | 9.3% | 11.3% | ZIP codes |
| Sudbury | — | — | — | — |
Goshen and Sudbury: 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 Brandon adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brandon
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brandon is better than Vermont on 1 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Brandon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brandon | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.7%15.7–19.9 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.5–16.6 | 12.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.8–18.1 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.6%31.5–40.1 | 28.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.6–12.1 | 8.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.8%35–40.6 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.9%32.3–37.8 | 32.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33.3%30.8–35.8 | 27.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12%10.9–13.2 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.9%10–11.8 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.7%7–8.5 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.5%7.5–9.5 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.7–4.4 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.5%11.4–16.1 | 10.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.9%12–16 | 11.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 23%20–26.2 | 18.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%13.5–17.6 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.6%26.2–33.3 | 28.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.6%5.5–7.8 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%76.1–81.1 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.5%64.8–70.2 | 69.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.9%85.3–88.4 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.4%77–81.6 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.9%62.3–69.3 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.1%69.9–80 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.5%23–28.3 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.1%18.8–23.4 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.8%7.9–9.8 | 9.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.3%7.5–9.3 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%5–6.3 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6%5.5–6.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11%9.8–12.3 | 11.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.9%27.9–34.1 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.5–15.9 | 11% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%12–15.1 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%8.3–10.1 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%7.1–8.8 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.6–4.4 | 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 Brandon
Is Brandon a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brandon is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #58 of 71 in Vermont. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 84%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brandon?
CDC estimates 35.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.5% and 40.1%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brandon?
Porter Hospital in Middlebury, 14.2 miles in a straight line from Brandon’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Brandon have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–7.8%), 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 Brandon 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 Brandon.
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.