Photo: ToddC4176 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Becket is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns
Becket differs from Massachusetts on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01223. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Becket
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Becket
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.4%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.7%), vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. Arthritis is also above the state: 32.5%, vs 25.4% across Massachusetts. In all, Becket runs above Massachusetts on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Becket, and more people treating it
35.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Massachusetts 30.9%), but 79.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Fewer Becket adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Massachusetts. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Becket’s likely range; Becket’s figures come from ZIP code 01223, 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 Becket’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Becket is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 82% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 57%.
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). Becket’s median household income is $80,417; among the 10,731 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$101K), it’s healthier than 85%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Becket adults…
Becket runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Becket adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.3% of Becket adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Care in and near Becket
No hospital or community health center in Becket 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 Becket; ≈ 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.
31 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
How Becket adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
3 in 10 Becket 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.
Becket and the towns around it
Becket’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Becket | A− | 31.4% | 11.1% | 12.5% | ZIP 01223 |
| Middlefield | — | — | — | — | |
| Otis | B+ | 30.7% | 11.2% | 12.6% | ZIP codes |
| Washington | — | — | — | — | |
| Chester | B+ | 29.9% | 10.5% | 14% | ZIP codes |
| Lee | A− | 29.3% | 10.4% | 10.6% | ZIP codes |
| Tyringham | — | — | — | — |
Middlefield, Washington and Tyringham: 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 Becket adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Becket
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Becket is better than Massachusetts on 9 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Becket’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Becket | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.4%13.4–20 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%11.5–16 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%13.7–18 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.4%25.9–37.6 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.2–13 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.8%31.8–39.9 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.9%34.8–43.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.5%28.8–36.3 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.4–13.5 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.4%10.3–12.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.7%6.5–8.9 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.5%5.9–9.1 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.1–4.2 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.3%6.6–10.4 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.5%9.5–15.9 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.3%16.2–24.9 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%13.1–18.6 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.7%30.6–41.1 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.6%2.7–4.8 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.7%79.8–85.4 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.7%68.4–74.8 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.2%90.8–93.5 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.9%76.6–82.9 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.4%72.3–80.3 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.8%67.4–81.4 | 83.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.8%21.4–28.5 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.3%25.8–35.1 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%18–25.7 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.1%7–11.8 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8%6.4–10 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%4.6–6.9 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.8%4.8–7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.3%8.5–14.6 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.7%24.1–33.4 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13%10.5–15.8 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.7%10.7–15.1 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.4–8.6 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.2–4.6 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%5.8–8.4 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%2.8–4 | 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 Becket
Is Becket a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Becket is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 85%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Becket?
CDC estimates 31.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.9% and 37.6%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Becket?
Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, 14.6 miles in a straight line from Becket’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Becket have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.7–4.8%), 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 Becket 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 Becket.
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.