Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Brighton is healthier than 89%
Brighton differs from Vermont on 18 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 05846. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brighton
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Brighton
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10%), vs 6.5% across Vermont. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.7%), vs 3.3% across Vermont. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.9%, vs 6.3% across Vermont. In all, Brighton runs above Vermont on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Brighton adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (25.6%), vs 18.9% across Vermont. There are 46 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Brighton
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (12.6%), vs 9.2% across Vermont. No reliable transportation (8.2% vs 6.4%) and utility shut-off threats (7.2% vs 5.7%) are higher too. 16.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Brighton is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Brighton is healthier than 48%. Against the 4,791 towns with similar household incomes ($36K–$59K), it’s healthier than 89%. 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 Brighton’s likely range; Brighton’s figures come from ZIP code 05846, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Brighton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brighton is healthier than 48% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 70% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Brighton’s median household income is $47,375; among the 4,791 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$59K), it’s healthier than 89%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Brighton compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Brighton adults…
Brighton runs above VT on 9 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.
46 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.8% of Brighton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Care in and near Brighton
1 community health center in Brighton, 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 Brighton; ≈ 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 Brighton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How Brighton 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.
Brighton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton | B− | 33.2% | 11.9% | 15.2% | ZIP 05846 |
| Charleston | — | — | — | — | |
| Newark | — | — | — | — | |
| Morgan | — | — | — | — |
Charleston, Newark and Morgan: 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 Brighton adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brighton
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brighton is better than Vermont on 1 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Brighton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brighton | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.7%17.6–24.1 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.3–18.6 | 12.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.5–18.5 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.2%26.7–40 | 28.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.9%10.2–13.7 | 8.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 38.9%35–43 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%33.7–42 | 32.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 34.6%31.2–38.2 | 27.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.4–13.1 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.7%10.7–12.8 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.9%7.8–10 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10%8.4–11.6 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19%15.8–22.6 | 10.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.2%12.6–18 | 11.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.6%21.1–30.2 | 18.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12.1–17.3 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.9%25–35.6 | 28.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%5.8–9.5 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%75.1–81.7 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.3%63.1–69.6 | 69.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.7%84.6–88.5 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.7%77.9–83.2 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.4%64–72.9 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.8%66.8–80.2 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.1%22.6–29.8 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.3%20.3–26.5 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.6%11.3–14.1 | 9.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.7%9.5–12 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.2%6.3–8.1 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%7.4–8.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.8%15.1–18.6 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.6%29–38.3 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.7%14.2–19.4 | 11% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.7%12.7–16.9 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.4%9.1–11.7 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%7.9–10.7 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4–5.5 | 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 Brighton
Is Brighton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brighton is healthier than 48% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brighton?
CDC estimates 33.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.7% and 40%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brighton?
North Country Hospital and Health Center in Newport, 19.5 miles in a straight line from Brighton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Brighton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–9.5%), 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 Brighton more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Brighton.
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.