Photo: Pesotsky · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Brookline is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Brookline differs from Massachusetts on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 24 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 02467, 02445, 02446. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brookline
COPD and stroke are less common in Brookline
Brookline runs below Massachusetts on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (3.3% vs 5.9%), stroke (1.9% vs 3%) and heart disease (3.9% vs 5.8%). Conditions ↓
Brookline is an active town
Only 13.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 21.7% across Massachusetts. The town has 16 miles of trails across 43 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Few Brookline adults smoke
6.1% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 11.3% across Massachusetts. Habits ↓
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 Brookline’s likely range; Brookline’s figures come from ZIP codes 02467, 02445, 02446, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Brookline’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brookline is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #15 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than almost every town); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 85%.
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). Brookline’s median household income is $142,101; among the 3,401 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($107K–$178K), it’s healthier than 99%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Brookline adults…
Brookline runs below MA on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
16 miles of trails across 43 parks and preserves
Care in and near Brookline
No hospital or community health center in Brookline 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 Brookline; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Brookline adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Brookline adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Brookline does better than Massachusetts.
1 in 3 Brookline 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.
7.3% of Brookline adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Brookline and the towns around it
Brookline’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 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
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Brookline adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brookline
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brookline is better than Massachusetts on 24 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Brookline’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brookline | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10.1%9–11.4 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.5%7.6–9.3 | 12.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%13.1–16.1 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 20%17.2–23.1 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 6.6%5.9–7.4 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 23.6%21.5–25.7 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.5%29.1–34 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 19.6%18–21.4 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.6–11.6 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.4%6.9–8.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.9%3.5–4.2 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.9%1.8–2.1 | 3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.3%4.4–6.3 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6.1%5.2–7 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 13.7%12–15.7 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%16.3–20.5 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30%26.9–33.2 | 33.6% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 2.9%2.5–3.4 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80%77.7–82.3 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 76.9%74.8–78.8 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.6%88.3–90.9 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.3%69.8–74.6 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.5%68.5–74.5 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 86.5%83–89.5 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%20.4–25.1 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34%30.9–37 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%18.4–22.9 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.3%6.2–8.5 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.7%5.8–7.7 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.3%3.8–4.9 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.3%6.2–8.6 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 20.4%18.2–22.7 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.1%9.9–12.5 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5%4.5–5.7 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.8%1.6–1.9 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Brookline
Is Brookline a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brookline is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #15 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brookline?
CDC estimates 20% of adults have obesity, likely between 17.2% and 23.1%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brookline?
Brigham and Women Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain, 1.7 miles in a straight line from Brookline’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Brookline have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 2.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.5–3.4%), 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 Brookline more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Brookline.
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.