The small town of Pownal, Vermont has a population of just over 2,000 and is located in the southwestern corner of the state. The health care system in the area is well-developed and provides locals with access to quality care. There are several local hospitals in the area, such as Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington and North Adams Regional Hospital in North Adams, Massachusetts. In addition to these hospitals, there are also local medical facilities providing general medical services like primary care and urgent care. These facilities offer an array of services from preventive screenings and immunizations to diagnosis and treatment of minor illnesses and injuries. With all of these resources available, residents of Pownal can take advantage of quality health care close to home.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 328 physicians per 100,000 population in Pownal (zip 05261). The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Pownal (zip 05261) area is 96.2 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
96.2 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Pownal (zip 05261) area is 56 (100=best). The US average is 55.
56 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Pownal (zip 05261) area is 3 (100=best). The US average is 87.
3 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Pownal (zip 05261) commutes 25.1 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Pownal (zip 05261) area is 89 (100=best). The US average is 58.
89 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.