Moxley Covered Bridge · Photo: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Chelsea is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns
Chelsea trails Vermont on 11 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 05038. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chelsea
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Chelsea
1 in 13 adults have COPD (8%), vs 6.5% across Vermont. 1 in 25 adults have had a stroke (4%), vs 3.3% across Vermont. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.6%, vs 6.3% across Vermont. In all, Chelsea runs above Vermont on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Vermont 21%), and COPD, stroke and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Chelsea adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (23.6%), vs 18.9% across Vermont. There are 11 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Chelsea is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Chelsea is healthier than 69%. Against the 10,080 towns with similar household incomes ($49K–$82K), 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 Chelsea’s likely range; Chelsea’s figures come from ZIP code 05038, 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 Chelsea’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chelsea is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 74% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 48%).
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). Chelsea’s median household income is $65,913; among the 10,080 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 89%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Chelsea adults…
Chelsea runs above VT on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Chelsea is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Vermont. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Chelsea as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Vermont
Share of adults, with the Vermont figure marked.
Care in and near Chelsea
1 community health center in Chelsea, 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 Chelsea; ≈ 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 Chelsea adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How Chelsea 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.
11.9% of Chelsea adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Chelsea and the towns around it
Chelsea’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | B+ | 33.6% | 10.6% | 12.8% | ZIP 05038 |
| Washington | B+ | 33.2% | 9.7% | 13.5% | ZIP codes |
| Vershire | — | — | — | — | |
| Tunbridge | B+ | 33.9% | 9.9% | 13.1% | ZIP codes |
| Brookfield | B+ | 32.9% | 10.1% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
Vershire: 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 Chelsea adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chelsea
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chelsea is better than Vermont on 0 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Chelsea’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chelsea | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.6%14.7–20.5 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.4–16.4 | 12.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.6–17.8 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.6%28.2–39.5 | 28.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.6%9.1–12.4 | 8.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.3%32.6–40.2 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.7%32–39.5 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.4%30.2–37 | 27.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.2–13.1 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.2%10–12.3 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.7–8.6 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8%6.6–9.4 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.5–4.5 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.3%11–15.9 | 10.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.8%10.2–15.5 | 11.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.6%19.6–28 | 18.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.2%11.9–16.8 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.2%25.1–33.6 | 28.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.2%4.7–7.9 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.5%73.9–80.6 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.8%61.5–68.1 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.3%85.2–89.3 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.5%76.4–82.3 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.9%66.9–74.5 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.4%66.9–79.2 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.8%23.4–30.5 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.7%18–23.4 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.2%8.1–10.4 | 9.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.6%7.6–9.8 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5.2–6.8 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.8–7.1 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.9%10.5–13.4 | 11.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.2%24.3–32.5 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.6%11.4–15.9 | 11% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.6%10.7–14.6 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.9%7.8–10.1 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4–5.4 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.5–9 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.2–4.4 | 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 Chelsea
Is Chelsea a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chelsea is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 89%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chelsea?
CDC estimates 33.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.2% and 39.5%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chelsea?
Gifford Medical Center in Randolph, 11.5 miles in a straight line from Chelsea’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chelsea have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.7–7.9%), 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 Chelsea 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 Chelsea.
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.