Durham, NH health
Durham differs from New Hampshire on 22 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults with diabetes (4.4% vs 9.4%) and fewer adults with heart disease (2.9% vs 6%). Where it trails the state: more adults without reliable transportation (10.7% vs 5.6%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP code 03824 (all of Durham)Durham’s Health Grade: A
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Durham is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns and 54% of New Hampshire towns.
Wealth explains part of the grade. Durham is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.
How the Health Grade works
- Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in New Hampshire ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Durham with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
- Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Durham’s figures come from the ZIP codes that cover it, weighted by land area. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
How Durham compares with New Hampshire
Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.
Chronic conditions
Habits
Care & screenings
Mind & connection
Everyday needs
Disability
Out of every 100 Durham adults…
Bars show Durham; the black tick is New Hampshire. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
NH 20.7%
NH 32.9%
NH 15.7%
NH 10.8%
Keeping up with care
Share of Durham adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Durham adults are doing
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.5% of Durham adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Living with a disability
of Durham adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Black tick: New Hampshire. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Durham and the towns around it
Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Durham.
Obesity
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.
Care in and near Durham
No hospital or community health center in Durham 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 Durham. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
All 40 measures for Durham
| Measure | Durham | Margin | New Hampshire | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 19.7% | 17.6–22% | 33% | better |
| High cholesterol | 24.3% | 22–26.7% | 35.2% | better |
| Obesity | 28.1% | 23.8–32.7% | 31.8% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 14.7% | 13.2–16.2% | 27.6% | better |
| Depression | 31.1% | 27.6–34.7% | 22.7% | worse |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 8% | 6.5–9.6% | 8.9% | about the same |
| Asthma | 11.8% | 10.4–13.2% | 10.5% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 4.9% | 4.4–5.3% | 9.8% | better |
| Diabetes | 4.4% | 3.8–5% | 9.4% | better |
| COPD | 3.7% | 3.3–4.2% | 6.2% | better |
| Heart disease | 2.9% | 2.6–3.2% | 6% | better |
| Stroke | 1.5% | 1.4–1.7% | 3.1% | better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.8% | 6.5–9.2% | 10.8% | better |
| Binge drink | 18.4% | 15.7–21.3% | 15.7% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 17.2% | 14.4–20.2% | 20.7% | better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31% | 27–35.5% | 32.9% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 72.4% | 68.7–75.9% | 77.8% | worse |
| Dentist visit | 62.1% | 58.9–65.5% | 68.8% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 73.6% | 70.4–77% | 88.3% | worse |
| Colon screening | 69.2% | 65.5–72.9% | 69.5% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 79.7% | 74.6–84.5% | 78.8% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 57% | 54.8–59.2% | 76.8% | worse |
| No health insurance | 7.5% | 6.1–9% | 6.8% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 41.4% | 37.2–45.3% | 30.6% | worse |
| Lack emotional support | 23.4% | 20.3–26.7% | 21.6% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 23.5% | 20.8–26.1% | 15.3% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 13.1% | 11.2–15% | 14.5% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 9.2% | 8.1–10.4% | 11.7% | better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 15.1% | 12.4–18% | 9.5% | worse |
| Housing insecurity | 10.6% | 8.9–12.5% | 8.1% | worse |
| Utility shut-off threat | 7.2% | 6.1–8.5% | 5.4% | worse |
| No reliable transportation | 10.7% | 9.1–12.3% | 5.6% | worse |
| Receive SNAP | 10.5% | 8.3–12.9% | 6.5% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.8% | 24.3–31.3% | 26.1% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 5.9% | 5.1–6.8% | 11.3% | |
| Thinking or memory | 18.2% | 15.7–20.6% | 12% | |
| Hearing | 4.7% | 4.2–5.2% | 7.2% | |
| Vision | 4% | 3.5–4.4% | 3.8% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 1.9% | 1.7–2.2% | 2.9% | |
| Errands alone | 8.8% | 7.5–10% | 6.6% | |
How CDC estimates town health
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Hampshire figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.