How healthy is Merrick?
Merrick differs from New York on 23 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (4.9% vs 12.8%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (7.5% vs 17.2%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (9.9% vs 7.7%).
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Merrick. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Merrick
Read from the numbers below. The page puts what stands out first.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
4.2 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Merrick adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
How Merrick adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, Merrick does better than New York.
1 in 3 Merrick adults feel lonely. 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.4% of Merrick adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Out of every 100 Merrick adults…
Merrick runs below NY on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Merrick
No hospital or community health center in Merrick 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 Merrick; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Merrick and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Merrick adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Not graded
CDC doesn't publish all seven estimates the grade is built on for Merrick, so we show its figures without a grade.
All 40 CDC measures for Merrick
| Measure | Merrick | Likely range | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 30.1% | 27.5–32.7% | 32.6% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 39.6% | 36.8–42.4% | 37.7% | about the same |
| Obesity | 27.2% | 23.8–30.6% | 28.8% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 24% | 21.8–26.1% | 24% | about the same |
| Depression | 14.9% | 13–16.9% | 17.5% | better |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 4.9% | 4–6% | 12.8% | better |
| Asthma | 9.8% | 8.8–10.9% | 10.3% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.9% | 9–10.8% | 7.7% | worse |
| Diabetes | 8.4% | 7.3–9.5% | 11.5% | better |
| COPD | 4.6% | 4–5.2% | 6% | better |
| Heart disease | 5.1% | 4.6–5.7% | 6.1% | better |
| Stroke | 2.5% | 2.3–2.8% | 3.4% | better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.8% | 6.5–9.1% | 11.3% | better |
| Binge drink | 16.7% | 14.5–19% | 16.3% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 18.9% | 16.3–21.4% | 25.9% | better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.4% | 33.9–40.9% | 37.9% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 82.4% | 80.1–84.4% | 80.8% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 74.5% | 72.1–76.8% | 63.5% | better |
| Cholesterol check | 92.3% | 91.2–93.2% | 89.2% | better |
| Colon screening | 73.5% | 70.2–76.5% | 66.8% | better |
| Mammogram | 76.4% | 70.8–81.2% | 78.9% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 80.1% | 77.6–82.3% | 77.2% | better |
| No health insurance | 4.1% | 3.4–4.8% | 7.9% | better |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 29.1% | 25.7–32.4% | 34.2% | better |
| Lack emotional support | 21.2% | 18.4–23.7% | 26.4% | better |
| Frequent mental distress | 12.9% | 11.5–14.4% | 15% | better |
| Fair or poor health | 12% | 10.4–13.6% | 18.1% | better |
| Frequent physical distress | 10.5% | 9.2–11.8% | 12.8% | better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 7.5% | 6.2–8.8% | 17.2% | better |
| Housing insecurity | 7.4% | 6.3–8.6% | 14.5% | better |
| Utility shut-off threat | 4.1% | 3.5–4.7% | 8.2% | better |
| No reliable transportation | 4.6% | 3.9–5.2% | 8.6% | better |
| Receive SNAP | 5.4% | 4.3–6.5% | 14.1% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.3% | 18.7–23.8% | 27.2% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 9.4% | 8.1–10.7% | 13.4% | |
| Thinking or memory | 8.6% | 7.6–9.7% | 12.1% | |
| Hearing | 5.2% | 4.6–5.9% | 5.6% | |
| Vision | 3% | 2.7–3.3% | 5.2% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 2.4% | 2.1–2.7% | 3.8% | |
| Errands alone | 5.2% | 4.5–5.8% | 7.7% | |
How CDC estimates town health
CDC combines a large national health survey with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Merrick door to door.
Every figure has a likely range. When the New York figure falls inside it, we don’t call Merrick better or worse.
CDC publishes Merrick directly, so these are its own figures.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Merrick.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New York figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. 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.