Photo: Pvmoutside at English Wikipedia · Public domainWithin Massachusetts, Barre is healthier than 9% of graded towns
Barre trails Massachusetts on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 01005, 01068. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Barre
Every town around Barre scores healthier
All three graded neighbors are ahead of Barre’s B−, from Hubbardston (B+) to Rutland (A). Around town ↓
Barre trails towns with similar incomes
Barre is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns, and only 17% of the 7,505 towns with similar household incomes ($81K–$135K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, obesity and heart disease run high in Barre
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.1%), vs 5.9% across Massachusetts. 1 in 3 adults have obesity (34.3%), vs 27.7% across Massachusetts. Heart disease is also above the state: 6.9%, vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. In all, Barre runs above Massachusetts on five of 11 chronic conditions. 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 Barre’s likely range; Barre’s figures come from ZIP codes 01005, 01068, 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 Barre’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Barre is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns, #253 of 279 in Massachusetts. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 65% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Barre’s median household income is $107,727; among the 7,505 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($81K–$135K), it’s healthier than 17%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Barre and the towns around it
Barre’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barre | B− | 34.3% | 11.1% | 15.4% | ZIP codes |
| Hubbardston | B+ | 32.7% | 10.3% | 13.2% | ZIP 01452 |
| Rutland | A | 31.1% | 8.5% | 11.1% | ZIP 01543 |
| Oakham | A− | 31.9% | 10.2% | 11.9% | ZIP 01068 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Barre adults…
Barre runs above MA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Barre
No hospital or community health center in Barre 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 Barre; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
24 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Barre adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Barre adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Barre runs above Massachusetts.
1 in 3 Barre 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.
17.1% of Barre adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Barre adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Barre
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Barre is better than Massachusetts on 0 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Barre’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Barre | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.3%16.2–22.4 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.3–17.4 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.7–21.2 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.3%30–38.8 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.6–12.7 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%32.4–38.5 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.8%33.9–39.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.9%27.3–32.6 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13%11.7–14.5 | 11.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.3–10.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6–7.8 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.1%6.7–9.5 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3–3.9 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.4%14.4–20.6 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%12.4–18.6 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.2%21.4–29.2 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15.9–20.6 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34%30.1–37.6 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.9%3.8–6.4 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.1%78.6–83.5 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.1%67.2–72.6 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%87.2–90.5 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76%73.3–78.6 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.7%62.8–70.2 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 84.3%79.5–88 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.2%25.3–31.3 | 23.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 34.5%30.9–38.5 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%21.1–27.7 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.6%10.8–16.6 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11%9–13.1 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.5–9.2 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%6.8–9.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.1%13.6–20.8 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.1%27.2–35.1 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14%11.7–16.3 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.2%13.9–18.7 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%3.9–5.2 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.4–10.1 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 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 Barre
Is Barre a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Barre is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #253 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 17%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Barre?
CDC estimates 34.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 38.8%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Barre?
Athol Memorial Hospital in Athol, 12.6 miles in a straight line from Barre’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Barre have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.8–6.4%), 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 Barre 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 Barre.
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.