Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Massachusetts, Barnstable Town is healthier than 28% of graded towns
Barnstable Town differs from Massachusetts on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Barnstable Town. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Barnstable Town
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Barnstable Town is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns, but only 28% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Barnstable Town
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.5%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (33.4%), vs 25.4% across Massachusetts. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.4%, vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. In all, Barnstable Town runs above Massachusetts on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Massachusetts 18%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Barnstable Town, and more people treating it
36.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Massachusetts 30.9%), but 80.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Barnstable Town’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Barnstable Town’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Barnstable Town is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #202 of 279 in Massachusetts. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 90% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 49%).
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). Barnstable Town’s median household income is $91,982; among the 9,721 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 76%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Barnstable Town adults…
Barnstable Town runs above MA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Barnstable Town is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Massachusetts. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Barnstable Town as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Barnstable Town adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Care in and near Barnstable Town
1 hospital and 3 community health centers in Barnstable Town, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Barnstable Town; ≈ 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.
202 miles of trails across 71 parks and preserves
How Barnstable Town adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
1 in 3 Barnstable Town 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.
13.6% of Barnstable Town adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Barnstable Town and the towns around it
Barnstable Town’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town | A− | 27.8% | 10.5% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| Mashpee | A− | 26.6% | 10.6% | 10.9% | ZIP 02649 |
| Yarmouth | A− | 26.5% | 10.8% | 11.1% | ZIP codes |
| West Yarmouth | — | — | — | — | |
| Yarmouth Port | — | — | — | — | |
| Popponesset Island | — | — | — | — | |
| Mashpee Neck | — | — | — | — | |
| Sandwich | A | 26.5% | 8% | 11% | ZIP codes |
West Yarmouth and Yarmouth Port: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Popponesset Island and Mashpee Neck: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Barnstable Town adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Barnstable Town
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Barnstable Town is better than Massachusetts on 3 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Barnstable Town’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Barnstable Town | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.1%15.1–19.3 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.7–15.9 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%14–17.6 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.8%22.9–33 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9.1–11.9 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.3%32.8–40 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38%34.3–41.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.4%30.3–36.5 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.3%11–13.7 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.5%10.5–12.6 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.7–8.2 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.4%6.6–8.3 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.2%8.1–12.6 | 11.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.7%11–14.5 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.1%17.1–23.5 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%12.3–17.5 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.8%27.8–38.2 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.8%4.1–5.6 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.7%80.9–86.2 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.3%68–74.4 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.5%90.3–92.5 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.5%77.6–83 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.2%69.8–78.2 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.2%76.1–87.3 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%20.8–27.1 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32%27.8–36.2 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.1%20–26.3 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.5%9.9–13.1 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.2%8.8–11.6 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.3–8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.6%11.9–15.3 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.2%25.9–32.9 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.8%12.2–15.6 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.4%12–14.9 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.8–8.5 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%4–4.8 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%7–8.6 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Barnstable Town
Is Barnstable Town a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Barnstable Town is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #202 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 76%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Barnstable Town?
CDC estimates 27.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.9% and 33%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Barnstable Town?
Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, 4.3 miles in a straight line from Barnstable Town’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Barnstable Town have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.1–5.6%), 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 Barnstable Town more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Barnstable Town.
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.