Congregational Church of Ludlow · Photo: Tyler Goodrich · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Ludlow is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Ludlow differs from Vermont on 7 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 05149. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ludlow
Cancer and stroke run high in Ludlow
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.9%), vs 9.9% across Vermont. 1 in 26 adults have had a stroke (3.9%), vs 3.3% across Vermont. In all, Ludlow runs above Vermont on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Vermont 21%), and cancer and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Ludlow, and more people treating it
34.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Vermont 31.4%), but 80.3% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Ludlow has a community health center but no hospital
Springfield Medical Care Systems is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Springfield Hospital in Springfield, 13.5 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Ludlow’s likely range; Ludlow’s figures come from ZIP code 05149, 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 Ludlow’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ludlow is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 89% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 74%.
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). Ludlow’s median household income is $54,885; among the 7,380 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$69K), it’s healthier than 100%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Ludlow adults…
Ludlow runs above VT on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Ludlow is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Vermont. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Ludlow as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ludlow adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
Care in and near Ludlow
1 community health center in Ludlow, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Ludlow; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Vermont
Share of adults, with the Vermont figure marked.
26 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How Ludlow 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.
10.9% of Ludlow adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.
Ludlow and the towns around it
Ludlow’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ludlow | A | 28.3% | 10.1% | 10.9% | ZIP 05149 |
| Mount Holly | B+ | 35.9% | 10.8% | 13% | ZIP codes |
| Plymouth | — | — | — | — | |
| Cavendish | A− | 29.4% | 10.3% | 12.1% | ZIP codes |
| Chester | A | 28.2% | 9.5% | 11.1% | ZIP 05143 |
| Andover | — | — | — | — |
Plymouth and Andover: 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 Ludlow adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ludlow
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ludlow is better than Vermont on 2 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Ludlow’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ludlow | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.7%12.2–17.2 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%10.8–14.3 | 12.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.5–16.1 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.3%24–32.9 | 28.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.1%8.6–11.5 | 8.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.9%31.6–38.2 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.7%31.5–38.1 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.1%28.2–33.9 | 27.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.6–12 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.9%10.8–13 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.4–8.2 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.1%5.9–8.3 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.4–4.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11%8.7–13.6 | 10.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.9%8.8–13.2 | 11.2% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.9%16.5–23.4 | 18.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%12.2–16.7 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.8%26.6–35 | 28.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.6%4.4–7.1 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.5%72.5–78.4 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.3%65.2–71.3 | 69.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.7%87–90.1 | 85.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.3%77.6–82.8 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.4%68.4–76.1 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.4%68–80.1 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.9%22.8–29 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.4%17–22.1 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.6%7.6–9.8 | 9.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.9%6.9–9 | 8.6% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.6–6 | 5.7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%5.3–6.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.9%9.6–12.4 | 11.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27%23.4–30.5 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12%10–13.9 | 11% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.6%9.9–13.4 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%7.9–10.1 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.5–4.7 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%5.7–7.8 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.8–3.8 | 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 Ludlow
Is Ludlow a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ludlow is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 100%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ludlow?
CDC estimates 28.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 24% and 32.9%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ludlow?
Springfield Hospital in Springfield, 13.5 miles in a straight line from Ludlow’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Ludlow have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–7.1%), 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 Ludlow 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 Ludlow.
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.