Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Dorset is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Dorset differs from Vermont on 12 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 05251, 05253. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dorset
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Dorset
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.6%), vs 9.9% across Vermont. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (34%), vs 27.8% across Vermont. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.6%, vs 6.3% across Vermont. In all, Dorset runs above Vermont on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
The nearest ER is 22 miles from Dorset
The closest emergency room is Rutland Regional Medical Center in Rutland, 22.1 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Springfield Medical Care Systems is closer (9.8 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Dorset keeps up with checkups
It beats Vermont on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (80.2% vs 76.1%) and cholesterol checks (89.9% vs 85.9%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Dorset adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Vermont. 1 in 14 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 11 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Dorset’s likely range; Dorset’s figures come from ZIP codes 05251, 05253, 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 Dorset’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dorset is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 90% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 62%.
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). Dorset’s median household income is $111,250; among the 6,971 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($83K–$139K), it’s healthier than 78%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Dorset adults…
Dorset runs above VT on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Dorset
No hospital or community health center in Dorset 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 Dorset; ≈ 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 Dorset adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.7% of Dorset adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Everyday habits, side by side with Vermont
Share of adults, with the Vermont figure marked.
77 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
How Dorset adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Dorset 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.
Dorset and the towns around it
Dorset’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorset | A | 29.7% | 10.3% | 10.1% | ZIP codes |
| Danby | B | 36.1% | 10.2% | 13.6% | ZIP codes |
| Manchester | A− | 30.3% | 10.4% | 10.8% | ZIP codes |
| Mount Tabor | — | — | — | — | |
| Rupert | — | — | — | — | |
| Winhall | A+ | 27.9% | 8.5% | 8.8% | ZIP 05340 |
| Peru | — | — | — | — |
Mount Tabor, Rupert and Peru: 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 Dorset adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dorset
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dorset is better than Vermont on 8 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Dorset’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dorset | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.5%12–17.2 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.5–15.5 | 12.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.1–15.9 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.7%24.8–34.5 | 28.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.3%8.7–12 | 8.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.6%33.8–41.3 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.7%32.1–39.3 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34%30.6–37.3 | 27.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.6 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.6%11.5–14 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.7–8.8 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7%5.7–8.4 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.8%8.1–11.9 | 10.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.1%7.7–12.5 | 11.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.4%14.9–22.1 | 18.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.2%11.9–16.6 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.4%27.5–36 | 28.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.7%3.5–6.1 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.2%77.3–82.8 | 76.1% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.4%67.6–73.4 | 69.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.9%88.3–91.3 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%76.6–82.6 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.7%70.1–77.4 | 69.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.9%72.5–83.1 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.7%24.2–31 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.1%16.7–21.8 | 22% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7%6.2–7.9 | 9.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.6%5.8–7.5 | 8.6% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.5%3.9–5.1 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.7%7.6–9.8 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28%24–32.1 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.9%10.7–15.3 | 11% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.5%8.9–12.2 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%7.8–10.1 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.4–4.7 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.6%5.5–7.7 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.8–3.9 | 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 Dorset
Is Dorset a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dorset is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 78%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Dorset?
CDC estimates 29.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.8% and 34.5%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dorset?
Rutland Regional Medical Center in Rutland, 22.1 miles in a straight line from Dorset’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Dorset have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.5–6.1%), 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 Dorset 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 Dorset.
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.