Swanton Covered Railroad Bridge · Photo: Chester Liebs · Public domainWithin Vermont, Highgate is healthier than 9% of graded towns
Highgate trails Vermont on 17 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 05488, 05459, 05457. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Highgate
Vermont sets a high bar
Highgate is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, but only 9% of the 71 Vermont towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Highgate
1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food (11.5%), vs 9.2% across Vermont. Utility shut-off threats (7.3% vs 5.7%) and housing insecurity (10.6% vs 8.6%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Obesity and COPD run high in Highgate
2 in 5 adults have obesity (38.3%), vs 28.6% across Vermont. 1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.1%), vs 6.5% across Vermont. In all, Highgate runs above Vermont on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Highgate adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (23.3%), vs 18.9% across Vermont. There are 12 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. 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 Highgate’s likely range; Highgate’s figures come from ZIP codes 05488, 05459, 05457, 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 Highgate’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highgate is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, #65 of 71 in Vermont. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 77% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). Highgate’s median household income is $81,017; among the 10,713 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$101K), it’s healthier than 51%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.3% of Highgate adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Out of every 100 Highgate adults…
Highgate runs above VT on 5 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.
Care in and near Highgate
No hospital or community health center in Highgate 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 Highgate; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Highgate adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How Highgate adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Highgate runs above 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.
Highgate and the towns around it
Highgate’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Highgate adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Highgate
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Highgate is better than Vermont on 0 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Highgate’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Highgate | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.8%15.4–20.7 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13–16.7 | 12.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16–20.2 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.3%33.2–43.1 | 28.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 10.3%8.9–11.8 | 8.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.1%32–38.2 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.6%30.4–36.6 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30%27.2–32.6 | 27.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12%10.6–13.3 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.3–10.1 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.3–8 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.1%7–9.4 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.3–4.1 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.6%12–17.5 | 10.1% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15%12.7–17.6 | 11.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 23.3%19.8–27.1 | 18.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.4–19.5 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.7%29.7–37.9 | 28.6% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%6.1–9.2 | 6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.5%72.2–78.4 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.6%62.6–68.6 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.4%82.3–86.4 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.4%72.3–78 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.5%65.6–73 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.4%66.2–78.1 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26%22.9–29 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.6%20.8–26.6 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.5%10.2–12.9 | 9.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.6%9.4–12 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.3%6.4–8.3 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.9–8.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.3%12.7–15.9 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.8%26.1–33.7 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.5%11.6–15.6 | 11% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%13.3–17.3 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.9 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.3–5.5 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7.3–9.6 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.5–4.5 | 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 Highgate
Is Highgate a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highgate is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #65 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 Highgate?
CDC estimates 38.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.2% and 43.1%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Highgate?
Northwestern Medical Center in Saint Albans, 10.8 miles in a straight line from Highgate’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Highgate have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–9.2%), 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 Highgate 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 Highgate.
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.