Photo: Hantsheroes · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Massachusetts, Dudley is healthier than 15% of graded towns
Dudley trails Massachusetts on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01571. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dudley
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Dudley is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, but only 15% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Mental distress runs high in Dudley
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (18.9%), vs 16.2% across Massachusetts. Depression is above the state too: 27.4%, vs 23.8% across Massachusetts. Mind & connection ↓
Obesity and COPD run high in Dudley
1 in 3 adults have obesity (33.4%), vs 27.7% across Massachusetts. 1 in 14 adults have COPD (6.9%), vs 5.9% across Massachusetts. In all, Dudley runs above Massachusetts on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Dudley
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (13.7%), 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 Dudley’s likely range; Dudley’s figures come from ZIP code 01571, 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 Dudley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dudley is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #238 of 279 in Massachusetts. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 82% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Dudley’s median household income is $84,604; among the 10,429 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$106K), it’s healthier than 58%, about where its income would put it.
How Dudley adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Dudley runs above Massachusetts.
1 in 3 Dudley 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.
Out of every 100 Dudley adults…
Dudley runs above MA on 3 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.
9.1 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Care in and near Dudley
No hospital or community health center in Dudley 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 Dudley; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Dudley 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.
15.7% of Dudley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Dudley and the towns around it
Dudley’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dudley | B | 33.4% | 9.9% | 13.7% | ZIP 01571 |
| Webster | C+ | 35.2% | 11.9% | 15.2% | ZIP 01570 |
| Webster | — | — | — | — | |
| Southbridge Town | C− | 37.3% | 12.9% | 16.6% | CDC place |
| Oxford | B | 33.2% | 10.1% | 13.4% | ZIP codes |
Webster: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dudley adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dudley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dudley is better than Massachusetts on 0 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Dudley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dudley | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.9%15.8–20.3 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.6–15.9 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%17–21.1 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.4%29.3–37.8 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 9.9%8.8–11.3 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.4%29.8–35.2 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%31.6–37.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27%24.8–29.5 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.6%11.4–14.1 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.3%7.6–9.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.4–6.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.9%6–7.8 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.1%8.2–12.1 | 11.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.7%11.9–15.9 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24.1%21.1–27.5 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19%16.6–21.6 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.6%30.8–38.3 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.6%4.4–7.2 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.2%77.6–82.7 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70%67.2–72.6 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88%86.3–89.6 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.3%71.7–76.9 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68%64.2–71.3 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 84.9%80.2–88.4 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.4%24.6–30.6 | 23.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35.6%32.1–39.2 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.7%21.8–27.7 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.5%11.4–15.8 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.5%9.8–13.2 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.7–8.9 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.3%7.2–9.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.7%13.4–18.3 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.7%26.7–33.2 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.3%10.9–14 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%14.3–18.1 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.4–6.8 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.8–4.8 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7.2–9.2 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3–3.8 | 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 Dudley
Is Dudley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dudley is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #238 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 58%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Dudley?
CDC estimates 33.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 37.8%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dudley?
Umass Memorial Health - Harrington Hospital in Southbridge, 5.8 miles in a straight line from Dudley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Dudley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–7.2%), 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 Dudley 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 Dudley.
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.