Photo: Beyond My Ken3 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Chilmark is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns
Chilmark differs from Massachusetts on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 02535. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chilmark
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Chilmark
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13.3%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (32.5%), vs 25.4% across Massachusetts. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.2%, vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. In all, Chilmark runs above Massachusetts on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 36% of residents are 65 or older (Massachusetts 18%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Chilmark’s lead shrinks
Chilmark is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns, but 62% of the 1,724 towns with similar household incomes ($127K–$211K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Chilmark keeps up with checkups
It beats Massachusetts on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (85.1% vs 80.9%) and dentist visits (76.2% vs 69.8%). Checkups ↓
Chilmark adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (28.1% vs 34.2%), frequent mental distress (13.1% vs 16.2%) and lack of emotional support (18.3% vs 23.4%) all run below Massachusetts. Mind & connection ↓
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 Chilmark’s likely range; Chilmark’s figures come from ZIP code 02535, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Chilmark’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chilmark is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 97% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 78%.
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). Chilmark’s median household income is $168,750; among the 1,724 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($127K–$211K), it’s healthier than 62%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Chilmark adults…
Chilmark runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Chilmark is an older town: 36% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Massachusetts. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Chilmark as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Chilmark adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Chilmark adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Chilmark does better than Massachusetts.
3 in 10 Chilmark 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.
Care in and near Chilmark
No hospital or community health center in Chilmark 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 Chilmark; ≈ 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.
43 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7% of Chilmark adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Chilmark and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chilmark | A | 24% | 10.2% | 8.2% | ZIP 02535 |
| West Tisbury | A+ | 24.5% | 9.2% | 8.8% | ZIP codes |
| Aquinnah | — | — | — | — | |
| Gosnold | — | — | — | — |
Aquinnah and Gosnold: 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 Chilmark adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chilmark
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chilmark is better than Massachusetts on 17 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Chilmark’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chilmark | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13%10.5–15.8 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%9.8–13.8 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.3–15.1 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24%17.9–30.8 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.5–12 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.2%31.6–40.6 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.9%34.3–43.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.5%28.5–36.4 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.4%10–12.8 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.3%12–14.8 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.2–8.3 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.9%4.7–7.5 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%2.9–3.9 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.2%3.3–5.4 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.2%6.2–10.6 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.1%12.6–20.2 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12–17.5 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.3%24.3–37.1 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 2.8%2.2–3.6 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.1%82.4–87.6 | 80.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 76.2%73.2–79.1 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.9%92.9–94.8 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.2%78.1–83.9 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.5%72.1–80.6 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 85.3%79.8–90.1 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.2–26.4 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.1%23.2–32.8 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.3%15–21.5 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.1%4.7–7.7 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.1%4.8–7.4 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.2%3.4–5.1 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.6%3.8–5.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7%5.2–8.9 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.6%21.3–30.2 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.5%9.3–14.1 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10%8.4–11.9 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.4–8.6 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.7–3.7 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%4.7–6.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.1–3.1 | 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 Chilmark
Is Chilmark a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chilmark is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 62%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chilmark?
CDC estimates 24% of adults have obesity, likely between 17.9% and 30.8%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chilmark?
Martha's Vineyard Hospital in Oak Bluffs, 14.9 miles in a straight line from Chilmark’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chilmark have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 2.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.2–3.6%), 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 Chilmark more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Chilmark.
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.