Health · Ballston

Ballston, NY health

Ballston differs from New York on 18 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (8.6% vs 17.2%) and fewer uninsured adults (4.3% vs 7.9%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (9.6% vs 7.7%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 12020, 12019, 12027
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Ballston’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Ballston is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns and 86% of New York towns.

ASelf-rated healthAPhysical distressA-Mental distressB+ObesityADiabetesASmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 90%
Less healthyHealthier
New York towns we grade (1,227)Healthier than 86%
Towns with similar incomes, $87K–$145K (5,890)Healthier than 84%

About what its income would suggest. Ballston does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Ballston could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
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 York 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 Ballston 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. Ballston’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.
Report card

How Ballston compares with New York

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

Out of every 100 Ballston adults…

31 of every 100 Ballston adults have high blood pressure
New York: 33 in 100 · too close to call · margin 28–34.5%

Bars show Ballston; the black tick is New York. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Ballston, betterBallston, worseToo close to callNew York
Get no exerciseshare of adults 18.6% Ballston
NY 25.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 31% Ballston
NY 37.9%
Binge drinkshare of adults 17.5% Ballston
NY 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 10.3% Ballston
NY 11.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Ballston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.

81%
Yearly checkup
NY 81%
70%
Dentist visit
NY 64%
91%
Cholesterol check
NY 89%
73%
Colon screening
NY 67%
81%
Mammogram
NY 79%
78%
Taking BP meds
NY 77%
1 in 23
working-age adults has no health insurance
Ballston 4.3% · New York 1 in 13 (7.9%)
Mind & connection

How Ballston adults are doing

1 in 3Ballston adults feel lonely
30.4% · New York 34.2% · too close to call
1 in 5Ballston adults have been diagnosed with depression
20.3% · New York 17.5% · worse
1 in 5Ballston adults lack social or emotional support
20.5% · New York 26.4% · better
1 in 7Ballston adults are in frequent mental distress
14.6% · New York 15% · too close to call
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 12
Ballston adults worry about having enough food
8.6% · NY 17.2% · better
1 in 12
Ballston adults worry about keeping their housing
8.5% · NY 14.5% · better
1 in 20
Ballston adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.1% · NY 8.2% · better
1 in 19
Ballston adults lack reliable transportation
5.3% · NY 8.6% · better

7.3% of Ballston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.

Disability

Living with a disability

22.6%

of Ballston adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs10.2%
Thinking or memory10.4%
Hearing5.4%
Errands alone6.1%
Vision3.4%
Dressing or bathing2.7%

Black tick: New York. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Ballston

Ballston 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 Ballston.

Clifton Park: 31.1% Charlton: 34.6% Malta: 33.6% Milton: 34.5% Glenville: 32.7% Halfmoon: 33.3% Niskayuna: 29.9% Colonie: 30.1% Round Lake: 35.7% Galway: 35.5% Amsterdam: 37.9% Saratoga Springs: 31.5% Stillwater: 34.4% Saratoga: 34% Greenfield: 36.4% Rotterdam: 34.1% Schenectady: 38.6% Ballston: 32.9% Ballston Clifton Park Charlton Malta Milton Glenville Sunnyview Hospital and Rehabilitation Center · Schenectady · 9 miH Ellis Hospital · Schenectady · 9.2 mi · 3★ MedicareH Saratoga Hospital · Saratoga Springs · 10.3 mi · 3★ MedicareH St. Marys Healthcare · Amsterdam · 16.7 mi · 3★ MedicareH Hometown Health Centers Dental at State Street · Schenectady · 10.6 mi+ North Troy · Troy · 15.8 mi+
29.9%38.6%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#6 of 18towns on this map, healthiest first
Clifton Park31.1%
Glenville32.7%
Ballston32.9%
Malta33.6%
Milton34.5%
Charlton34.6%
6 places to get careNearest ER 9.2 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Ballston

No hospital or community health center in Ballston itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest EREllis HospitalSchenectady · 9.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySaratoga Hospital★★★★★ · 10.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSchenectady Family Health ServicesSchenectady · 10.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
9 mi
Sunnyview Hospital and Rehabilitation Center
Schenectady · not rated
9.2 mi
Ellis Hospital
Schenectady · ★★★★★
ER
10.3 mi
Saratoga Hospital
Saratoga Springs · ★★★★★
ER
10.6 mi
Schenectady Family Health Services
3 sites · nearest in Schenectady
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
15.8 mi
Whitney M Young Jr Health Center
5 sites · nearest in Troy
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
16.7 mi
St. Marys Healthcare
Amsterdam · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careBallston is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careBallston is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthBallston is not a shortage area

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 Ballston. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Ballston
MeasureBallstonMarginNew York
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure31.2%28–34.5%32.6%about the same
High cholesterol37.6%34.2–41.2%37.7%about the same
Obesity32.9%28.2–38%28.8%about the same
Arthritis27.1%24.4–29.9%24%worse
Depression20.3%17.6–23.2%17.5%worse
Lost all teeth (65+)7.6%6.1–9.4%12.8%better
Asthma10.4%9.3–11.6%10.3%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.6%8.8–10.5%7.7%worse
Diabetes9%7.8–10.3%11.5%better
COPD5.4%4.8–6.2%6%about the same
Heart disease5.6%5–6.2%6.1%about the same
Stroke2.8%2.5–3.1%3.4%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes10.3%8.7–12%11.3%about the same
Binge drink17.5%14.9–20.3%16.3%about the same
Get no exercise18.6%15.7–21.7%25.9%better
Sleep under 7 hours31%26.7–35.6%37.9%better
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup80.6%77.7–83.1%80.8%about the same
Dentist visit70.1%67.2–73%63.5%better
Cholesterol check90.9%89.7–92%89.2%better
Colon screening73.3%69.5–77%66.8%better
Mammogram81.3%75.7–86.1%78.9%about the same
Taking BP meds77.8%74.9–80.4%77.2%about the same
No health insurance4.3%3.6–5.1%7.9%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely30.4%26.3–34.7%34.2%about the same
Lack emotional support20.5%17.6–23.6%26.4%better
Frequent mental distress14.6%13–16.3%15%about the same
Fair or poor health12.9%11.2–14.8%18.1%better
Frequent physical distress11.4%10.1–12.9%12.8%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity8.6%7.1–10.2%17.2%better
Housing insecurity8.5%7.2–10%14.5%better
Utility shut-off threat5.1%4.4–5.9%8.2%better
No reliable transportation5.3%4.6–6.1%8.6%better
Receive SNAP7.3%6.1–8.7%14.1%
Disability
Any disability22.6%19.7–25.8%27.2%
Walking or climbing stairs10.2%8.8–11.6%13.4%
Thinking or memory10.4%9.2–11.7%12.1%
Hearing5.4%4.8–6.1%5.6%
Vision3.4%3–3.7%5.2%
Dressing or bathing2.7%2.4–3.1%3.8%
Errands alone6.1%5.4–6.9%7.7%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Ballston door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the New York figure falls inside it, we don't call Ballston better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Ballston by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Ballston by how much of its land each one covers.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New York 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01