Photo: Dylanvt · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Essex is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns
Essex beats Vermont on 16 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 05452, 05465. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Essex
Essex is an active town
Only 14% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 18.9% across Vermont. The town has 70 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Essex
Essex runs below Vermont on six chronic conditions, most of all COPD (5% vs 6.5%), heart disease (4.9% vs 6.3%) and diabetes (6.9% vs 8.8%). 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 Essex’s likely range; Essex’s figures come from ZIP codes 05452, 05465, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Essex’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Essex is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns, #10 of 71 in Vermont. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than almost every town); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 81%.
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). Essex’s median household income is $110,199; among the 7,110 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($83K–$138K), it’s healthier than 98%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Vermont
Share of adults, with the Vermont figure marked.
70 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Essex adults…
Essex runs below VT on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Essex
No hospital or community health center in Essex 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 Essex; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Essex adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How Essex 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.
9.1% of Essex adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Essex and the towns around it
Essex’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex | A+ | 23.3% | 6.9% | 8.8% | ZIP codes |
| Williston | A+ | 22.4% | 6.9% | 7.7% | ZIP 05495 |
| Essex Junction | A+ | 23.2% | 6.6% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| South Burlington | A+ | 22.3% | 6.6% | 7.4% | CDC place |
| Jericho | A+ | 22.5% | 6.5% | 7.4% | ZIP 05465 |
| Westford | A+ | 23.5% | 7.1% | 8.6% | ZIP codes |
| Colchester | A | 24.9% | 7.4% | 10.5% | ZIP 05446 |
| Underhill | A+ | 23.6% | 7.2% | 8.6% | ZIP 05489 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Essex adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Essex
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Essex is better than Vermont on 16 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Essex’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Essex | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.4%9.8–13 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11%9.7–12.3 | 12.5% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.4–16.6 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 23.3%20–26.6 | 28.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 6.9%6–7.8 | 8.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 26.4%24.1–28.7 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29.6%27.1–32.2 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.7%21.7–25.8 | 27.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.7–11.9 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.4–10 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5%4.3–5.8 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.4%5.3–7.7 | 10.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.8%7.4–10.4 | 11.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 14%11.9–16.2 | 18.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.6%15.5–19.8 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 25.1%22.3–28.2 | 28.6% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5%4–6 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.5%73.8–78.9 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.1%71.9–76.4 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.2%85.7–88.7 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.1%71.3–76.7 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.1%69.1–75.1 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.1%69–78.8 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.2%23.6–28.7 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.2%19–23.5 | 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 | 7.8%6.9–8.8 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.6–6 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%5.2–6.2 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.1%8–10.2 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.6%19.2–24.1 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.4%7.3–9.7 | 11% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.3%9.9–12.7 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.3–6.7 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.9–3.6 | 4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.6%4.9–6.4 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–2.9 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Essex
Is Essex a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Essex is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #10 of 71 in Vermont. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 98%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Essex?
CDC estimates 23.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 20% and 26.6%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Essex?
Univ. of Vermont - Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, 8.1 miles in a straight line from Essex’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Essex have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4–6%), 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 Essex 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 Essex.
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.