Health · Homer

Homer, NY health

Homer differs from New York on 16 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (5.6% vs 12.8%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (7.6% vs 17.2%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (10.5% vs 7.7%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Homer
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Homer’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Homer is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns and 90% of New York towns.

A+Self-rated healthAPhysical distressAMental distressAObesityADiabetesASmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 94%
Less healthyHealthier
New York towns we grade (1,227)Healthier than 90%
Towns with similar incomes, $54K–$91K (9,792)Healthier than 100%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Homer 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 Homer 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. Homer uses CDC’s own estimate for it. 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 Homer 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 Homer adults…

31 of every 100 Homer adults have high blood pressure
New York: 33 in 100 · too close to call · margin 27.4–35.5%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Homer, betterHomer, worseToo close to callNew York
Get no exerciseshare of adults 19.2% Homer
NY 25.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 35.1% Homer
NY 37.9%
Binge drinkshare of adults 18.1% Homer
NY 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 9.4% Homer
NY 11.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

82%
Yearly checkup
NY 81%
71%
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 26
working-age adults has no health insurance
Homer 3.9% · New York 1 in 13 (7.9%)
Mind & connection

How Homer adults are doing

1 in 3Homer adults feel lonely
28.8% · New York 34.2% · better
1 in 5Homer adults have been diagnosed with depression
20.5% · New York 17.5% · too close to call
1 in 5Homer adults lack social or emotional support
20.4% · New York 26.4% · better
1 in 7Homer adults are in frequent mental distress
14.1% · 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 13
Homer adults worry about having enough food
7.6% · NY 17.2% · better
1 in 14
Homer adults worry about keeping their housing
7.4% · NY 14.5% · better
1 in 23
Homer adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.4% · NY 8.2% · better
1 in 21
Homer adults lack reliable transportation
4.8% · NY 8.6% · better

6.2% of Homer adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.

Disability

Living with a disability

22.9%

of Homer adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs10.5%
Thinking or memory10%
Hearing5.6%
Errands alone5.9%
Vision3.2%
Dressing or bathing2.5%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Homer

1 community health center in Homer, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERGuthrie Cortland Regional Medical CenterCortland · 1.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyCayuga Medical Center at Ithaca★★★★★ · 21.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careFamily Health NetworkHomer · 0.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.7 mi
Family Health Network
6 sites · nearest in Homer
Sliding-scale feesIn Homer
Directions to nearest
1.9 mi
Guthrie Cortland Regional Medical Center
Cortland · ★★★★★
ER
21.3 mi
Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca
Ithaca · ★★★★★
ER
27.9 mi
Syracuse VA Medical Center
Syracuse · ★★★★★
ERVA
28 mi
East Hill Family Medical
2 sites · nearest in Auburn
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
28.1 mi
Crouse Hospital
Syracuse · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careHomer's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Cortland County · need score 15 of 25
✓ Dental careHomer is not a shortage area
! Mental healthHomer's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME-Cortland County · need score 15 of 25

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 Homer. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Homer
MeasureHomerMarginNew York
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure31.4%27.4–35.5%32.6%about the same
High cholesterol37.4%33.2–41.8%37.7%about the same
Obesity28%21.8–35.2%28.8%about the same
Arthritis27.1%23.8–30.5%24%about the same
Depression20.5%17.4–23.9%17.5%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)5.6%4.5–6.9%12.8%better
Asthma10.6%9.4–11.9%10.3%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10.5%9.4–11.6%7.7%worse
Diabetes8.5%7.1–9.9%11.5%better
COPD5.4%4.3–6.6%6%about the same
Heart disease5.7%4.9–6.6%6.1%about the same
Stroke2.9%2.4–3.3%3.4%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes9.4%7.2–11.8%11.3%about the same
Binge drink18.1%15–21.4%16.3%about the same
Get no exercise19.2%15.2–23.6%25.9%better
Sleep under 7 hours35.1%29–41.5%37.9%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup81.6%78.3–84.6%80.8%about the same
Dentist visit71.4%68.3–74.2%63.5%better
Cholesterol check91.4%89.7–92.8%89.2%better
Colon screening72.7%68.3–77%66.8%better
Mammogram80.7%74.3–86.2%78.9%about the same
Taking BP meds78.4%75.4–81.1%77.2%about the same
No health insurance3.9%3–5.3%7.9%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely28.8%24.1–33.8%34.2%better
Lack emotional support20.4%16.9–24.4%26.4%better
Frequent mental distress14.1%12.2–16.2%15%about the same
Fair or poor health12.5%10.2–15.1%18.1%better
Frequent physical distress11.3%9.6–13.1%12.8%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity7.6%5.7–9.9%17.2%better
Housing insecurity7.4%5.8–9.4%14.5%better
Utility shut-off threat4.4%3.5–5.4%8.2%better
No reliable transportation4.8%3.9–5.8%8.6%better
Receive SNAP6.2%4.5–8.3%14.1%
Disability
Any disability22.9%19–27%27.2%
Walking or climbing stairs10.5%8.4–12.6%13.4%
Thinking or memory10%8.4–11.8%12.1%
Hearing5.6%4.9–6.5%5.6%
Vision3.2%2.7–3.7%5.2%
Dressing or bathing2.5%2.1–3.1%3.8%
Errands alone5.9%4.9–7%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 Homer 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 Homer better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Homer directly, so these are its own figures.

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/18 · 2025-01-01