Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Fairlee is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns
Fairlee differs from Vermont on 3 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 05045, 05033. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fairlee
What’s behind Fairlee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairlee is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 85% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 71%.
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). Fairlee’s median household income is $74,760; among the 10,854 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$93K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Fairlee adults…
Fairlee runs above VT on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Fairlee is an older town: 33% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Vermont. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Fairlee as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Fairlee
No hospital or community health center in Fairlee 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 Fairlee; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Vermont
Share of adults, with the Vermont figure marked.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fairlee adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How Fairlee 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.
11.6% of Fairlee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Fairlee and the towns around it
Fairlee’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 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
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairlee | A | 31.8% | 9.6% | 10.8% | ZIP codes |
| Fairlee | — | — | — | — | |
| West Fairlee | — | — | — | — | |
| Bradford | A− | 32.9% | 9.4% | 12.3% | ZIP codes |
Fairlee and West Fairlee: 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 Fairlee adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fairlee
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fairlee is better than Vermont on 1 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Fairlee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fairlee | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.2%12.7–17.8 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11.1–14.7 | 12.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.7–16.6 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.8%26.7–37.4 | 28.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.6%8.2–11.2 | 8.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%30.8–38.1 | 31.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.4%31.8–39.1 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32%28.9–35.3 | 27.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%10–12.7 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.1%10–12.3 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.8%5.6–8.1 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.3%7.4–11.1 | 10.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.8%8.6–13.1 | 11.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.5%17–24.6 | 18.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%12.1–17.2 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.2%24.1–32.4 | 28.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.4%4.2–6.8 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78%74.7–81.1 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.5%65.3–71.5 | 69.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.6%86.7–90.3 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.4%76.2–82.1 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.4%67.3–75.1 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74%67.5–79.9 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26%22.8–29.6 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.1%17.5–23 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.9%7.9–10.1 | 9.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.9%7–9 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.4%4.8–6.2 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6%5.5–6.7 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.6%10.3–13.1 | 11.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.9%21.3–28.8 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.7%9.7–13.8 | 11% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.1%9.4–12.9 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.8–8.9 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.3–4.4 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.5%5.6–7.5 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.7–3.7 | 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 Fairlee
Is Fairlee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairlee is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns: A for health. 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 Fairlee?
CDC estimates 31.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.7% and 37.4%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fairlee?
Cottage Hospital in Woodsville, 17.0 miles in a straight line from Fairlee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fairlee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.2–6.8%), 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 Fairlee 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 Fairlee.
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.