Photo: Carol M. Highsmith · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Burlington is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Burlington differs from Vermont on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Burlington. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Burlington
Vermont sets a high bar
Burlington is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, but only 60% of the 71 Vermont towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Mental distress runs high in Burlington
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.3%), vs 15.9% across Vermont. Depression is above the state too: 30.8%, vs 26.5% across Vermont. Mind & connection ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Burlington
Burlington runs below Vermont on nine chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.9% vs 9.9%), heart disease (3.8% vs 6.3%) and arthritis (17% vs 27.8%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (Vermont 21%). Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Burlington
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (12%), vs 9.2% across Vermont. No reliable transportation (9.5% vs 6.4%) and utility shut-off threats (7% vs 5.7%) are higher too. 16% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Burlington has a top-rated hospital
University. of Vermont - Fletcher Allen Health Care is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Burlington’s likely range.
What’s behind Burlington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Burlington is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #29 of 71 in Vermont. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Burlington’s median household income is $71,109; among the 10,594 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$89K), it’s healthier than 98%, about where its income would put it.
Most Vermont towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Burlington is healthier than 60% of graded towns, against 86% nationally.
How Burlington adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Burlington 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.
Out of every 100 Burlington adults…
Burlington runs below VT on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Burlington residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Vermont. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16% of Burlington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Care in and near Burlington
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Burlington, 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 Burlington; ≈ 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.
37 miles of trails across 31 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Burlington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
Burlington and the towns around it
Burlington’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington | A | 23.1% | 5.4% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Colchester | A | 24.9% | 7.4% | 10.5% | ZIP 05446 |
| South Burlington | A+ | 22.3% | 6.6% | 7.4% | CDC place |
| Winooski | A | 23.6% | 6% | 9.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Burlington adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Burlington
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Burlington is better than Vermont on 12 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Burlington’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Burlington | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.1%11.6–14.7 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.8–12.1 | 12.5% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.3%18.3–22.3 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 23.1%20–26.4 | 28.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 5.4%4.7–6 | 8.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 20.9%19–22.7 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 23.5%21.6–25.5 | 32.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 17%15.6–18.4 | 27.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.6–13.1 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.4–6.3 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.8%3.4–4.1 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.1%1.9–2.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.5%7.9–11.3 | 10.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.5%8.1–10.7 | 11.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.5%13.5–17.8 | 18.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.1%16.7–21.5 | 16.6% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.4%23.4–29.7 | 28.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.8–8.2 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.7%68.7–74.5 | 76.1% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.4%64.8–70 | 69.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 75.7%73.2–78.1 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 65%62.4–67.1 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.3%67.2–73.4 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.7%68.7–78.4 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.8%27.9–33.7 | 26.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.8%20.4–25.1 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12%10.7–13.3 | 9.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.3%9.2–11.5 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7%6.1–7.9 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.5%8.6–10.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16%14.4–17.6 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.6%22.9–28.3 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 11% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17%15.2–18.9 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%7.3–9.1 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.4–2.9 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Burlington
Is Burlington a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Burlington is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #29 of 71 in Vermont. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 98%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Burlington?
CDC estimates 23.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 20% and 26.4%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Burlington?
Univ. of Vermont - Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, 2.4 miles in a straight line from Burlington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Burlington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–8.2%), 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 Burlington more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Burlington.
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.