Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Vermont, St. Johnsbury is healthier than 16% of graded towns
St. Johnsbury trails Vermont on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 05819, 05824, 05851. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. Johnsbury
Vermont sets a high bar
St. Johnsbury is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, but only 16% of the 71 Vermont towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in St. Johnsbury
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (12.4%), vs 9.2% across Vermont. Utility shut-off threats (7.4% vs 5.7%) and no reliable transportation (8.1% vs 6.4%) are higher too. 16.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More St. Johnsbury adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (25.1%), vs 18.9% across Vermont. There are 11 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
COPD, diabetes and stroke run high in St. Johnsbury
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.2%), vs 6.5% across Vermont. 1 in 10 adults have diabetes (10.5%), vs 8.8% across Vermont. Stroke is also above the state: 3.9%, vs 3.3% across Vermont. In all, St. Johnsbury runs above Vermont on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
St. Johnsbury is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, St. Johnsbury is healthier than 60%. Against the 8,232 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 88%. 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 St. Johnsbury’s likely range; St. Johnsbury’s figures come from ZIP codes 05819, 05824, 05851, 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 St. Johnsbury’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Johnsbury is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #60 of 71 in Vermont. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 76% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). St. Johnsbury’s median household income is $57,738; among the 8,232 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 88%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.9% of St. Johnsbury 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.
11 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 St. Johnsbury adults…
St. Johnsbury runs above VT on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near St. Johnsbury
1 hospital and 1 community health center in St. Johnsbury, 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 St. Johnsbury; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of St. Johnsbury adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.
How St. Johnsbury 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.
St. Johnsbury and the towns around it
St. Johnsbury’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Johnsbury | B | 31.9% | 10.5% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Danville | A− | 29.8% | 9.8% | 11.5% | ZIP codes |
| Kirby | — | — | — | — | |
| Lyndon | B+ | 30.7% | 9.6% | 13.9% | ZIP codes |
| Waterford | B | 31.8% | 10.5% | 14.3% | ZIP 05819 |
| St. Johnsbury | — | — | — | — | |
| Barnet | B+ | 30.9% | 10.2% | 13.1% | ZIP codes |
Kirby: fewer than 1,000 residents. St. Johnsbury: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of St. Johnsbury adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. Johnsbury
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. Johnsbury is better than Vermont on 0 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside St. Johnsbury’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. Johnsbury | VT | U.S. | vs VT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.2%15.8–20.6 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.7–16.1 | 12.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.5–19.7 | 15.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.9%26.9–37.3 | 28.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9.1–12 | 8.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.2%31.9–38.6 | 31.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%31.3–38.3 | 32.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.5%27.6–33.4 | 27.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–12.9 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.7%8.8–10.6 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.5–8.1 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.2%7.1–9.2 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.2%10–14.7 | 10.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.2–16.7 | 11.2% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.1%21.4–29 | 18.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%14–19.5 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.1%29.7–38.7 | 28.6% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.6–8.4 | 6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.7%73.4–79.9 | 76.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.1%57.8–64.4 | 69.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85%83.1–86.8 | 85.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.3%73.2–79.2 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.5%61.2–69.6 | 69.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.4%70.2–81.9 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.8%23.6–30.3 | 26.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%21.4–27.3 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.4%11.1–13.9 | 9.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.7%9.5–12.1 | 8.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.5–8.3 | 5.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%7.3–8.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.9%15.2–18.8 | 11.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.4%26.7–34.1 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.6%11.8–15.4 | 11% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.5%12.7–16.4 | 12.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.8–9.7 | 7.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.5–5.5 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.5–4.4 | 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 St. Johnsbury
Is St. Johnsbury a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Johnsbury is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #60 of 71 in Vermont. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 88%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in St. Johnsbury?
CDC estimates 31.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.9% and 37.3%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to St. Johnsbury?
Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in Saint Johnsbury, 1.1 miles in a straight line from St. Johnsbury’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in St. Johnsbury have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–8.4%), 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 St. Johnsbury 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 St. Johnsbury.
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.