Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Ipswich is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns
Ipswich differs from Massachusetts on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01938. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ipswich
Ipswich keeps up with checkups
It beats Massachusetts on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.8% vs 80.9%) and dentist visits (77.3% vs 69.8%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in Ipswich
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.7%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Ipswich’s lead shrinks
Ipswich is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns, but 74% of the 3,681 towns with similar household incomes ($104K–$173K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Ipswich adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (28.4% vs 34.2%), frequent mental distress (13.6% vs 16.2%) and lack of emotional support (19.1% 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 Ipswich’s likely range; Ipswich’s figures come from ZIP code 01938, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Ipswich’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ipswich is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns, #86 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 92% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 82%.
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). Ipswich’s median household income is $138,750; among the 3,681 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($104K–$173K), it’s healthier than 74%, about where its income would put it.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Ipswich is healthier than 69% of graded towns, against 93% nationally.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ipswich adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Out of every 100 Ipswich adults…
Ipswich runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
How Ipswich adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Ipswich does better than Massachusetts.
3 in 10 Ipswich 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.
Care in and near Ipswich
No hospital or community health center in Ipswich 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 Ipswich; ≈ 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.
103 miles of trails across 82 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.
8.3% of Ipswich adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Ipswich and the towns around it
Ipswich’s Health Grade ranks 6th 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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ipswich | A | 27.5% | 9.6% | 9.1% | ZIP 01938 |
| Essex | A+ | 27.2% | 8.3% | 8.6% | ZIP 01929 |
| Hamilton | A+ | 27% | 8.5% | 8.8% | ZIP 01982 |
| Rowley | A+ | 27.4% | 8.6% | 9.2% | ZIP 01969 |
| Rowley | — | — | — | — | |
| Topsfield | A+ | 26% | 8.8% | 7.4% | ZIP 01983 |
| Gloucester | B+ | 30.2% | 11% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| Boxford | A+ | 26.2% | 8.1% | 7.8% | ZIP 01921 |
Rowley: 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 Ipswich adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ipswich
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ipswich is better than Massachusetts on 16 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Ipswich’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ipswich | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.3%11.5–15.3 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.9%10.5–13.4 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12–15.2 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.5%23.7–31.5 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.6%8.4–10.9 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34%31–36.9 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.3%35.2–41.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.1%26.5–31.7 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.4–12.8 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.7%10.7–12.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.9–7.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.1%5.3–7.1 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.6%5.4–8.1 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.1%7.6–10.9 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.1%16.4–22.2 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.3%13.2–17.4 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%29.1–36.9 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 2.8%2.3–3.6 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.8%81.5–85.9 | 80.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.3%74.8–79.6 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.5%91.4–93.5 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.6%76.9–82 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.9%72.7–79 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 86.2%82.1–89.8 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.5%19.9–25 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.4%25.2–31.8 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.1%16.6–21.8 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.3%6–8.8 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.6%5.6–7.8 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.7%4–5.5 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5%4.3–5.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.3%6.7–10.1 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.2%22.2–28.3 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.3%9.7–13 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11%9.6–12.5 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6–7.6 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.2%5.4–7.1 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 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 Ipswich
Is Ipswich a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ipswich is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns: A for health, #86 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 74%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ipswich?
CDC estimates 27.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.7% and 31.5%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ipswich?
Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, 8.7 miles in a straight line from Ipswich’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ipswich have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 2.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.3–3.6%), 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 Ipswich 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 Ipswich.
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.