Old Douglas Center Historic District · Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Douglas is healthier than 40%
Douglas differs from Massachusetts on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01516. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Douglas
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Douglas is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, but only 48% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Douglas’ lead shrinks
Douglas is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, but 40% of the 2,589 towns with similar household incomes ($114K–$190K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Douglas doesn’t win on
19.8% of adults binge drink, vs 17% across Massachusetts. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Fewer Douglas adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Massachusetts. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Nearly everyone in Douglas is insured
Only 3.2% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.2% across Massachusetts. Checkups ↓
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 Douglas’ likely range; Douglas’ figures come from ZIP code 01516, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Douglas’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Douglas is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #146 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 94% 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). Douglas’ median household income is $152,267; among the 2,589 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($114K–$190K), it’s healthier than 40%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Douglas is healthier than 48% of graded towns, against 86% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
84 miles of trails across 4 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.
9.6% of Douglas adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Keeping up with care
Share of Douglas adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Out of every 100 Douglas adults…
Douglas runs below MA on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Douglas
No hospital or community health center in Douglas 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 Douglas; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Douglas adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
1 in 3 Douglas 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.
Douglas and the towns around it
Douglas’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 7 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Douglas adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Douglas
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Douglas is better than Massachusetts on 11 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Douglas’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Douglas | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.6%11.8–15.5 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.6–13.5 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.8–18.5 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.2%27.3–35.7 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.6–9.9 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31%28.4–33.9 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%31.9–37.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.3%24.1–29 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.2%11–13.7 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8.1–9.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.3–2.8 | 3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.5%6–9 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.9%9.1–12.9 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.9%16.2–21.7 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.8%17.3–22.4 | 17% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33%29.2–36.6 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.2%2.6–3.9 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.6%79.1–84 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.1%72.6–77.4 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.1%89.8–92.3 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.5%71.5–77.4 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.9%66.1–73.1 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 86.2%82–89.4 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.5%23.8–29.6 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.5%29.2–35.9 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%19.2–24.7 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.4%6.8–9.9 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.9%6.6–9.3 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.5%4.7–6.5 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.8–6.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.6%7.8–11.5 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.1%21.3–27 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.8%8.4–11.2 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.5%11–14.2 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.1%4.6–5.8 | 6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.7–3.4 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.1%5.3–6.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–2.9 | 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 Douglas
Is Douglas a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Douglas is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #146 of 279 in Massachusetts. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Douglas?
CDC estimates 31.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.3% and 35.7%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Douglas?
Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam, 13.1 miles in a straight line from Douglas’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Douglas have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.6–3.9%), 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 Douglas more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Douglas.
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.