Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Holyoke is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Holyoke trails Massachusetts on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Holyoke. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Holyoke
More Holyoke adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (37.5%), vs 21.7% across Massachusetts. There are 85 miles of trails across 47 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Holyoke
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (29.1%), more than twice the Massachusetts rate. Utility shut-off threats (15.4% vs 7%) and housing insecurity (23.3% vs 11.1%) are higher too. 34.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in Holyoke has no health insurance
14.8% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.2% across Massachusetts. Checkups ↓
Holyoke has a top-rated hospital
Holyoke Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Holyoke’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Holyoke’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Holyoke is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 33% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Holyoke’s median household income is $53,605; among the 7,000 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 18%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
85 miles of trails across 47 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.
34.3% of Holyoke adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Keeping up with care
Share of Holyoke adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Care in and near Holyoke
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Holyoke, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Holyoke; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Holyoke adults…
Holyoke runs above MA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
How Holyoke adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Holyoke runs above Massachusetts.
2 in 5 Holyoke 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.
Holyoke and the towns around it
Holyoke’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holyoke | D | 38.3% | 15% | 17.1% | CDC place |
| South Hadley | A | 21.7% | 8.1% | 9.3% | ZIP 01075 |
| Chicopee | C | 34.7% | 11.9% | 15.6% | CDC place |
| Southampton | A | 23.6% | 9.1% | 10.8% | ZIP 01073 |
| Easthampton | — | — | — | — | |
| Westfield | B | 31.6% | 10.1% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| West Springfield Town | C+ | 33.3% | 11.2% | 14.8% | CDC place |
Easthampton: no CDC estimate of its own. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Holyoke adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Holyoke
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Holyoke is better than Massachusetts on 0 and worse on 23; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Holyoke’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Holyoke | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30.3%27.5–33 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19%17.1–21 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.8%17.8–21.8 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.3%33.4–43.3 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15%13.3–16.7 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.4%33.2–39.5 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%32.9–39.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2%27.5–32.8 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.7%11.4–14.1 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8%7.3–8.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.3–8.9 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.8%7.9–9.8 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.9–4.6 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.3%14.5–20.3 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.1%15–19.1 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 37.5%33.7–41.3 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.6–17.2 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.2%34.8–43.8 | 33.6% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.8%12.8–16.7 | 5.2% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.7%76.9–82.4 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.1%53.9–60.3 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86%84.4–87.6 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.3%73.6–78.8 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.8%55.5–64 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.6%72.8–83.7 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.7%23.6–29.8 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38%34.2–42.2 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.1%26.9–33.7 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 29.1%26.3–32 | 12.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 23.3%20.9–25.9 | 11.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.4%13.7–17.2 | 7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.3%13.7–17 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 34.3%31.3–37.2 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.3%37.7–44.8 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.7%18.7–22.9 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.5%18.5–22.5 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.5–9.4 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.3%8.6–10.1 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.5%11.2–13.7 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.3%5.8–6.8 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Holyoke
Is Holyoke a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Holyoke is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 18%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Holyoke?
CDC estimates 38.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.4% and 43.3%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Holyoke?
Holyoke Medical Center in Holyoke, 1.1 miles in a straight line from Holyoke’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Holyoke have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.8–16.7%), 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 Holyoke more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Holyoke.
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.