Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Chester is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns
Chester differs from Vermont on 8 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 05143. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chester
Chester is an older town
30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Vermont. Conditions like heart disease and arthritis become more common with age, so keep that in mind when comparing Chester with the state. Conditions ↓
Chester has a community health center but no hospital
Springfield Medical Care Systems is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Springfield Hospital in Springfield, 8.6 miles away. 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 Chester’s likely range; Chester’s figures come from ZIP code 05143, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Chester’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chester is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns, #26 of 71 in Vermont. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 89% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 76%.
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). Chester’s median household income is $62,125; among the 9,443 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 100%, about where its income would put it.
Most Vermont towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Chester is healthier than 65% of graded towns, against 89% nationally.
Out of every 100 Chester adults…
Chester runs above VT on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Chester is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Vermont. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Chester as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Chester
1 community health center in Chester, 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 Chester; ≈ 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Chester adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How Chester adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Chester does better than 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9% of Chester adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Chester and the towns around it
Chester has the best Health Grade of the 3 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
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Chester adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chester
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chester is better than Vermont on 7 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Chester’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chester | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.1%12.3–16.1 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%11–13.8 | 12.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%13.2–16.3 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.2%24.2–32.1 | 28.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.5%8.3–10.7 | 8.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.1%30.2–35.9 | 31.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.9%31–36.8 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.1%27.4–32.6 | 27.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.8–12.1 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.2%10.3–12.2 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.7%5.8–7.6 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.3%7.7–11.1 | 10.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%9.5–12.9 | 11.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.8%16–21.6 | 18.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.2%13.1–17.2 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.3%26.6–34.2 | 28.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.2%4.3–6.3 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.2%72.3–77.8 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.9%67.1–72.5 | 69.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.8%87.3–90.1 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.1%76.4–81.5 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.2%70.8–77.5 | 69.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.1%69.7–79.9 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.5%23.7–29.3 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.3%17.3–21.7 | 22% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.4%6.6–8.2 | 9.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.4%6.7–8.3 | 8.6% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.3%4.9–5.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9%8–10.1 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.8%22.9–28.8 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.2%9.7–12.8 | 11% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.5%10.2–13 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.3–9 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.4–4.3 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 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 Chester
Is Chester a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chester is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns: A for health, #26 of 71 in Vermont. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 100%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chester?
CDC estimates 28.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.2% and 32.1%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chester?
Springfield Hospital in Springfield, 8.6 miles in a straight line from Chester’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Chester have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–6.3%), 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 Chester more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Chester.
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.