Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Essex is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns
Essex differs from Massachusetts on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01929. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Essex
Essex keeps up with checkups
It beats Massachusetts on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (80.1% vs 69.8%) and cholesterol checks (92.4% vs 89.7%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in Essex
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.4%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. Conditions ↓
Essex adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (28% vs 34.2%), frequent mental distress (13.4% vs 16.2%) and lack of emotional support (18.6% 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 Essex’s likely range; Essex’s figures come from ZIP code 01929, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Essex’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Essex is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns, #51 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 97% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 91%.
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). Essex’s median household income is $157,147; among the 2,339 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($118K–$196K), it’s healthier than 83%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Essex adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Essex adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Essex does better than Massachusetts.
3 in 10 Essex 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 Essex adults…
Essex runs below MA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Essex
No hospital or community health center in Essex 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 Essex; ≈ 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.
38 miles of trails across 18 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.
7.3% of Essex adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Essex and the towns around it
Essex’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex | A+ | 27.2% | 8.3% | 8.6% | ZIP 01929 |
| Ipswich | A | 27.5% | 9.6% | 9.1% | ZIP 01938 |
| Hamilton | A+ | 27% | 8.5% | 8.8% | ZIP 01982 |
| Gloucester | B+ | 30.2% | 11% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| Manchester-by-the-Sea | A+ | 25.3% | 8.5% | 6% | ZIP 01944 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Essex adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Essex
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Essex is better than Massachusetts on 16 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Essex’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Essex | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.8%9.8–14.2 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.4–12.6 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.7–15.2 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.2%23.4–31.4 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.3%7.1–9.7 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.8%27.9–33.7 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.3%33.2–39.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26%23.5–28.6 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.3–12.8 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.4–11.3 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.1%4.2–6.3 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.3–3 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.7%6.3–9.4 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.6%6.8–10.9 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.8%13.9–20 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%14.6–19.2 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.3%27.6–35.3 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 2.6%2–3.5 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.7%80.3–84.9 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 80.1%77.8–82.2 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.4%91.2–93.5 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77%74–79.8 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.7%69.2–76 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 85.5%81.2–89.2 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%20.1–25.4 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28%24.8–31.4 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.6%16–21.4 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.6%5.1–8.5 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.3%5.1–7.9 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.5%3.7–5.4 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.6%3.8–5.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.3%5.5–9.7 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.2%19.1–25.5 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.3%7.8–11.2 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.5%8.9–12.4 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.6%4.9–6.4 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.8%2.4–3.3 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.5%4.6–6.5 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2–2.9 | 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 Essex
Is Essex a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Essex is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #51 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 83%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Essex?
CDC estimates 27.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.4% and 31.4%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Essex?
Northeast Hospital Corporation in Beverly, 7.5 miles in a straight line from Essex’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Essex have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 2.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2–3.5%), 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 Essex 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 Essex.
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.