Photo: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0Within Vermont, Pownal is healthier than 24% of graded towns
Pownal trails Vermont on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 05261, 05201, 05260. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pownal
Vermont sets a high bar
Pownal is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, but only 24% of the 71 Vermont towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and diabetes run high in Pownal
1 in 13 adults have COPD (8%), vs 6.5% across Vermont. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.5%), vs 6.3% across Vermont. Diabetes is also above the state: 10.4%, vs 8.8% across Vermont. In all, Pownal runs above Vermont on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Pownal
1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food (11.2%), vs 9.2% across Vermont. Utility shut-off threats (7% vs 5.7%) and housing insecurity (10.4% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 14.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Pownal
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (13.9%), vs 11.2% across Vermont. Habits ↓
Pownal is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Pownal is healthier than 67%. Against the 9,759 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 89%. Health Grade ↓
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 Pownal’s likely range; Pownal’s figures come from ZIP codes 05261, 05201, 05260, 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 Pownal’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pownal is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, #54 of 71 in Vermont. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 76% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 36%).
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). Pownal’s median household income is $64,163; among the 9,759 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 89%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Pownal adults…
Pownal runs above VT on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.9% of Pownal 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.
48 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Care in and near Pownal
No hospital or community health center in Pownal 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 Pownal; ≈ 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 Pownal adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How Pownal 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.
Pownal and the towns around it
Pownal’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pownal | B+ | 31.9% | 10.4% | 13.9% | ZIP codes |
| Bennington | B+ | 31.5% | 10.1% | 13.4% | ZIP codes |
| Stamford | — | — | — | — | |
| Woodford | — | — | — | — |
Stamford and Woodford: 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 Pownal adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pownal
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pownal is better than Vermont on 0 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Pownal’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pownal | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.1%14.6–19.9 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.1–17 | 12.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.9–18.9 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.9%27.1–37.1 | 28.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%8.9–12 | 8.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.5%32.9–39.9 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34%30.6–37.5 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.3%29.3–35.4 | 27.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.5–13.2 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.8%9.7–11.8 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.6–8.5 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8%6.9–9.4 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.1%9.9–14.7 | 10.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.9%11.5–16.5 | 11.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 21.5%17.9–25.2 | 18.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.3–18.4 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.6%29.5–38.2 | 28.6% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.7%5.2–8.4 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77%73.7–80 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.2%62.1–68.5 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.6%84.7–88.3 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77%73.9–79.8 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.4%66.6–74.3 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.8%67.6–79.7 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.8%26.4–33.4 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.4%19.6–25.4 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.2%10–12.6 | 9.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7%6–7.9 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.3%6.6–8.1 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.9%13.3–16.7 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.6%26.9–34.7 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.8%11.7–16 | 11% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.3%11.5–15.2 | 12.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.8%7.7–9.9 | 7.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4–5.2 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.8–9 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 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 Pownal
Is Pownal a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pownal is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #54 of 71 in Vermont. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 89%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pownal?
CDC estimates 31.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.1% and 37.1%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pownal?
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, 5.8 miles in a straight line from Pownal’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Pownal have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–8.4%), 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 Pownal 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 Pownal.
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.