Photo: Apw250 · CC BY 4.0Within Massachusetts, Dalton is healthier than 27% of graded towns
Dalton differs from Massachusetts on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01226. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dalton
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Dalton is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, but only 27% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and heart disease run high in Dalton
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.9%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.2%), vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. In all, Dalton runs above Massachusetts on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Massachusetts 18%), and cancer and heart disease are more common later in life. 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 Dalton’s likely range; Dalton’s figures come from ZIP code 01226, 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 Dalton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dalton is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #203 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 81% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 58%.
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). Dalton’s median household income is $79,438; among the 10,776 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$99K), it’s healthier than 87%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Dalton adults…
Dalton runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Dalton is an older town: 28% 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 Dalton as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Dalton
No hospital or community health center in Dalton 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 Dalton; ≈ 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.
27 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Dalton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Dalton adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
1 in 3 Dalton 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.
12.3% of Dalton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Dalton and the towns around it
Dalton has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton | A− | 30.6% | 10.2% | 12.4% | ZIP 01226 |
| Pittsfield | B | 33% | 11.1% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Hinsdale | B | 31.8% | 11.1% | 14.2% | ZIP 01235 |
| Washington | — | — | — | — | |
| Windsor | — | — | — | — | |
| Cheshire | B+ | 31.4% | 10.9% | 13.2% | ZIP 01225 |
Washington: fewer than 1,000 residents. Windsor: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dalton adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dalton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dalton is better than Massachusetts on 4 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Dalton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dalton | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.5%13.4–20.3 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.3–15.8 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.4–19 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.6%25–36.6 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.6–12.1 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.8%30–37.7 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.6%32.7–40.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.8%27.4–34.1 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12%10.6–13.4 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.9%9.8–12.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.2–8.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.2%5.8–9 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3–4.1 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.6%6–9.5 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.4%9.5–15.8 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.8%16.6–25.6 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.6–19.1 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35%29.9–40.3 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4%3–5.3 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.6%78.6–84.4 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.1%67.8–74.1 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.8%89.1–92.3 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%75.7–81.6 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.2%69–77.2 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.4%68.1–81.9 | 83.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%21.9–28.8 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%27.1–36.4 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.2%18.6–26 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.9%7.4–12.7 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.6%6.8–10.6 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%4.8–7.3 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.3%5.2–7.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.3%9.2–15.9 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.4%24.8–34.5 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.9%10.5–15.9 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.4–16.1 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.4–8.6 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.4–4.8 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.2–9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.7–4 | 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 Dalton
Is Dalton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dalton is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health, #203 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 87%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Dalton?
CDC estimates 30.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 25% and 36.6%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dalton?
Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, 4.9 miles in a straight line from Dalton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Dalton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3–5.3%), 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 Dalton 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 Dalton.
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.