Health · Chester

Chester, VT health

On most measures Chester looks like Vermont as a whole. It has more adults screened for colon cancer (74.2% vs 69.2%) and more adults getting cholesterol checked (88.8% vs 85.9%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (11.2% vs 9.9%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP code 05143 (all of Chester)
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Chester’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Chester is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns and 72% of Vermont towns.

ASelf-rated healthA-Physical distressA-Mental distressAObesityADiabetesA-SmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 89%
Less healthyHealthier
Vermont towns we grade (170)Healthier than 72%
Towns with similar incomes, $47K–$78K (8,608)Healthier than 99%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Chester 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 Vermont 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 Chester 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. Chester’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 Chester compares with Vermont

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 Chester adults…

33 of every 100 Chester adults have high blood pressure
Vermont: 31 in 100 · too close to call · margin 30.2–35.9%

Bars show Chester; the black tick is Vermont. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Chester, betterChester, worseToo close to callVermont
Get no exerciseshare of adults 18.8% Chester
VT 18.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 30.3% Chester
VT 28.6%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.2% Chester
VT 16.6%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.1% Chester
VT 11.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Chester adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.

75%
Yearly checkup
VT 76%
70%
Dentist visit
VT 69%
89%
Cholesterol check
VT 86%
74%
Colon screening
VT 69%
75%
Mammogram
VT 76%
79%
Taking BP meds
VT 77%
1 in 19
working-age adults has no health insurance
Chester 5.2% · Vermont 1 in 17 (6%)
Mind & connection

How Chester adults are doing

1 in 4Chester adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.5% · Vermont 26.5% · too close to call
1 in 7Chester adults are in frequent mental distress
14.7% · Vermont 15.9% · too close to call
Disability

Living with a disability

25.8%

of Chester adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs11.2%
Thinking or memory11.5%
Hearing8.1%
Errands alone6.5%
Vision3.9%
Dressing or bathing3.2%

Black tick: Vermont. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Chester

Chester 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 Chester.

Springfield: 32.1% Andover: 28.2% Ludlow: 28.3% Windham: 25.3% Grafton: 25.2% Charlestown: 35.4% Weathersfield: 29.9% Rockingham: 27.6% Weston: 26.7% Mount Holly: 35.9% Plymouth: 29.1% Cavendish: 29.4% Londonderry: 25.9% Townshend: 25% Jamaica: 26.4% Athens: 27.4% Chester: 28.2% Chester Springfield Andover Ludlow Windham Grafton Springfield Hospital · Springfield · 8.6 miH Grace Cottage Hospital · Townshend · 15.2 miH Valley Regional Hospital · Claremont · 16.2 mi · 3★ MedicareH Mt Ascutney Hospital · Windsor · 18.1 miH Chester Dental Center · Chester · 2.8 mi+
25%35.9%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#9 of 17towns on this map, healthiest first
Grafton25.2%
Windham25.3%
Chester28.2%
Andover28.2%
Ludlow28.3%
Springfield32.1%
6 places to get careNearest ER 8.6 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 Chester

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

HNearest ERSpringfield HospitalSpringfield · 8.6 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyValley Regional Hospital★★★★★ · 16.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSpringfield Medical Care SystemsChester · 2.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.8 mi
Springfield Medical Care Systems
6 sites · nearest in Chester
Sliding-scale feesIn Chester
Directions to nearest
8.6 mi
Springfield Hospital
Springfield · not rated
ERRural critical access
15.2 mi
Grace Cottage Hospital
Townshend · not rated
Rural critical access
16.2 mi
Valley Regional Hospital
Claremont · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
18.1 mi
Mt Ascutney Hospital
Windsor · not rated
ERRural critical access
27.3 mi
Community Health Centers of the Rutland Region
2 sites · nearest in Rutland
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careChester is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careChester is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthChester 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 Chester. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 33 measures for Chester
MeasureChesterMarginVermont
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure33.1%30.2–35.9%31.4%about the same
High cholesterol33.9%31–36.8%32.1%about the same
Obesity28.2%24.2–32.1%28.6%about the same
Arthritis30.1%27.4–32.6%27.8%about the same
Depression26.5%23.7–29.3%26.5%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)9.3%7.7–11.1%10.1%about the same
Asthma10.9%9.8–12.1%11.1%about the same
Cancer (not skin)11.2%10.3–12.2%9.9%worse
Diabetes9.5%8.3–10.7%8.8%about the same
COPD6.7%5.8–7.6%6.5%about the same
Heart disease6.6%5.9–7.3%6.3%about the same
Stroke3.5%3.2–3.9%3.3%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.1%9.5–12.9%11.2%about the same
Binge drink15.2%13.1–17.2%16.6%about the same
Get no exercise18.8%16–21.6%18.9%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours30.3%26.6–34.2%28.6%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup75.2%72.3–77.8%76.1%about the same
Dentist visit69.9%67.1–72.5%69.2%about the same
Cholesterol check88.8%87.3–90.1%85.9%better
Colon screening74.2%70.8–77.5%69.2%better
Mammogram75.1%69.7–79.9%76.1%about the same
Taking BP meds79.1%76.4–81.5%76.7%about the same
No health insurance5.2%4.3–6.3%6%about the same
Mind & connection
Frequent mental distress14.7%13.2–16.3%15.9%about the same
Fair or poor health14.1%12.3–16.1%14.5%about the same
Frequent physical distress12.4%11–13.8%12.5%about the same
Disability
Any disability25.8%22.9–28.8%26.4%
Walking or climbing stairs11.2%9.7–12.8%11%
Thinking or memory11.5%10.2–13%12.5%
Hearing8.1%7.3–9%7.7%
Vision3.9%3.4–4.3%4%
Dressing or bathing3.2%2.8–3.6%3.1%
Errands alone6.5%5.7–7.3%6.8%
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 Chester door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Vermont figure falls inside it, we don't call Chester better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Chester by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Chester by how much of its land each one covers.

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