Photo: Fancy-cats-are-happy-cats · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Colchester is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
Colchester differs from Vermont on 13 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 05446. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Colchester
Colchester is an active town
Only 15.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 18.9% across Vermont. The town has 58 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Diabetes and heart disease are less common in Colchester
Colchester runs below Vermont on diabetes (7.4% vs 8.8%) and heart disease (5.3% vs 6.3%). Conditions ↓
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 Colchester’s likely range; Colchester’s figures come from ZIP code 05446, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Colchester’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Colchester is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #20 of 71 in Vermont. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 98% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 66%.
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). Colchester’s median household income is $97,891; among the 8,887 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($73K–$122K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
Most Vermont towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Colchester is healthier than 74% of graded towns, against 92% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with Vermont
Share of adults, with the Vermont figure marked.
58 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Colchester adults…
Colchester runs below VT on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Colchester
No hospital or community health center in Colchester itself. These are the nearest.
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 Colchester; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Colchester adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How Colchester 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.
9.5% of Colchester adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Colchester and the towns around it
Colchester’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colchester | A | 24.9% | 7.4% | 10.5% | ZIP 05446 |
| Burlington | A | 23.1% | 5.4% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Milton | A | 27.7% | 7.9% | 12% | ZIP 05468 |
| South Hero | A | 29.3% | 9.3% | 9.8% | ZIP codes |
| South Burlington | A+ | 22.3% | 6.6% | 7.4% | CDC place |
| Winooski | A | 23.6% | 6% | 9.6% | CDC place |
| Essex | A+ | 23.3% | 6.9% | 8.8% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Colchester adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Colchester
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Colchester is better than Vermont on 12 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Colchester’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Colchester | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.7%11.1–14.4 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.7–13.4 | 12.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.5–18 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.9%21.4–28.4 | 28.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.4%6.5–8.4 | 8.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.6%25.1–30 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30%27.5–32.4 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.6%22.5–26.7 | 27.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.2%10.1–12.4 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.4–9.9 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.7%5–6.5 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.1 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.2%6.7–9.9 | 10.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%9–12.1 | 11.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 15.5%13.3–17.8 | 18.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.6%15.5–19.8 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 25.8%22.9–29 | 28.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.6%4.6–6.7 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.1%73.4–78.6 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.2%69.8–74.5 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.2%84.6–87.8 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.8%70.8–76.5 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.2%68.1–74.2 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.7%70.9–80.2 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.2%24.5–29.9 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%18.7–23.1 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.6%6.7–8.5 | 9.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8%7.1–8.9 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%5.2–6.3 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5%8.5–10.6 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.4%20.9–26 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.3%8.1–10.6 | 11% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.5%11–14 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.7–7 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–4 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.6–7 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.3 | 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 Colchester
Is Colchester a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Colchester is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #20 of 71 in Vermont. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Colchester?
CDC estimates 24.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.4% and 28.4%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Colchester?
Univ. of Vermont - Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, 5.2 miles in a straight line from Colchester’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Colchester have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.6–6.7%), 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 Colchester 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 Colchester.
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.