Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0Within Massachusetts, Ashburnham is healthier than 25% of graded towns
Ashburnham differs from Massachusetts on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 01430, 01440. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ashburnham
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Ashburnham is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns, but only 25% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Ashburnham’s lead shrinks
Ashburnham is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns, but 43% of the 5,908 towns with similar household incomes ($89K–$149K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Obesity runs high in Ashburnham
1 in 3 adults have obesity (32.7%), vs 27.7% across Massachusetts. Conditions ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Massachusetts figure falls outside Ashburnham’s likely range; Ashburnham’s figures come from ZIP codes 01430, 01440, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Ashburnham’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ashburnham is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns, #209 of 279 in Massachusetts. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 79% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 50%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Ashburnham’s median household income is $118,809; among the 5,908 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($89K–$149K), it’s healthier than 43%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Ashburnham adults…
Ashburnham runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Ashburnham
No hospital or community health center in Ashburnham 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 Ashburnham; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
33 miles of trails across 32 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Ashburnham adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Ashburnham adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Ashburnham runs above Massachusetts.
1 in 3 Ashburnham 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.
12.3% of Ashburnham adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Ashburnham and the towns around it
Ashburnham’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 6 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashburnham | B+ | 32.7% | 10.1% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
| Westminster | A− | 31.6% | 9.5% | 11.5% | ZIP 01473 |
| Gardner | C | 35.8% | 12.1% | 16.5% | CDC place |
| Ashby | A | 26.2% | 8.9% | 11.5% | ZIP 01431 |
| South Ashburnham | — | — | — | — | |
| Winchendon | C+ | 34.9% | 11.1% | 15.4% | ZIP 01475 |
| Fitchburg | C+ | 35.6% | 11.6% | 14.7% | CDC place |
South Ashburnham: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ashburnham adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ashburnham
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ashburnham is better than Massachusetts on 3 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Ashburnham’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ashburnham | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.9%13.4–18.8 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.7–15.5 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.1–19.3 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.7%28.5–37.2 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 10.1%8.6–11.5 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34%31–37.1 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.6%33.7–39.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29%26.4–31.7 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.5%11.2–14 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.7–10.6 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.4–7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%5.4–7.9 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.6–3.4 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9%7.2–10.7 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.5%10–15.3 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.2%17.8–24.9 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.6%16.3–21.1 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.9%30–37.5 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.7%2.8–4.7 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82%79.6–84.3 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.4%68.5–73.8 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.9%89.3–92.2 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.2%73.2–78.9 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72%68.4–75.1 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 84.2%79.4–87.9 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27%24.2–30.1 | 23.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.6%29.3–36.2 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.4%19.5–25.5 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.1%8–12.4 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.9%7.3–10.7 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.4%5.4–7.6 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.5%5.4–7.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.3%9.7–15.1 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.1%23.5–30.9 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.8%9.9–14 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.7–15.8 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.3–6.9 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.1–4.3 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6–8.3 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.7–3.7 | 3.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Massachusetts figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Ashburnham
Is Ashburnham a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ashburnham is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #209 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 43%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ashburnham?
CDC estimates 32.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.5% and 37.2%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ashburnham?
Heywood Hospital in Gardner, 5.4 miles in a straight line from Ashburnham’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ashburnham have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.8–4.7%), against 5.2% across Massachusetts.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Ashburnham more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ashburnham.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Massachusetts figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. 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.