Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY 4.0Within Vermont, Derby is healthier than 6% of graded towns
Derby trails Vermont on 16 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 05855, 05829, 05830. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Derby
Vermont sets a high bar
Derby is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, but only 6% of the 71 Vermont towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, stroke and diabetes run high in Derby
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9%), vs 6.5% across Vermont. 1 in 24 adults have had a stroke (4.2%), vs 3.3% across Vermont. Diabetes is also above the state: 11.1%, vs 8.8% across Vermont. In all, Derby runs above Vermont on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Derby adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (24.7%), vs 18.9% across Vermont. There are 25 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Smoking is more common in Derby
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (14.9%), vs 11.2% across Vermont. Habits ↓
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 Derby’s likely range; Derby’s figures come from ZIP codes 05855, 05829, 05830, 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 Derby’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Derby is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, #67 of 71 in Vermont. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 66% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 30%).
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). Derby’s median household income is $80,250; among the 10,742 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$100K), it’s healthier than 51%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Derby adults…
Derby runs above VT on 7 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.
25 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Care in and near Derby
No hospital or community health center in Derby 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 Derby; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Derby adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How Derby 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.
14.6% of Derby adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Derby and the towns around it
Derby’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derby | B− | 33.9% | 11.1% | 14.9% | ZIP codes |
| Newport | C | 35.5% | 11.9% | 17.3% | CDC place |
| Charleston | — | — | — | — | |
| Brownington | C+ | 34.7% | 11.4% | 15.8% | ZIP 05860 |
| Newport | B+ | 32.6% | 10.4% | 13.4% | ZIP codes |
| Holland | — | — | — | — | |
| Coventry | C+ | 34.9% | 11.6% | 16.1% | ZIP codes |
Charleston and Holland: 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 Derby adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Derby
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Derby is better than Vermont on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Derby’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Derby | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.5%16.9–22.4 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.6–17.6 | 12.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.5–19.8 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.9%28.7–39.5 | 28.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.5–12.8 | 8.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.6%33.1–40.4 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.1%31.7–38.9 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.6%27.6–33.8 | 27.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.5–13.3 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.2–11.2 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%7–8.8 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9%7.7–10.2 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.8–4.7 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13%10.6–15.5 | 10.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%12.6–17.6 | 11.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24.7%20.8–28.8 | 18.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.3%12.8–18.1 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.1%29.6–38.7 | 28.6% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6.1–9 | 6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.7%75.5–81.8 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.4%62.3–68.5 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.3%83.3–87.1 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76.3–81.9 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68%63.8–71.8 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.1%72.1–83.2 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%22.1–28.8 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.5%20.7–26.8 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.9%9.7–12.3 | 9.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.7%8.5–10.9 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.7–7.5 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.5–7.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.6%13–16.3 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.5%27.7–35.7 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.7%12.6–16.9 | 11% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.2%13.3–17.4 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%8.1–10.3 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.7–6 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.7–10 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.8–4.9 | 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 Derby
Is Derby a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Derby is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #67 of 71 in Vermont. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 51%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Derby?
CDC estimates 33.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.7% and 39.5%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Derby?
North Country Hospital and Health Center in Newport, 3.1 miles in a straight line from Derby’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Derby have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–9%), 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 Derby 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 Derby.
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.