Shirley Shaker Village · Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Lancaster is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Lancaster differs from Massachusetts on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01523. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lancaster
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Lancaster is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, but only 63% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Lancaster doesn’t win on
20.2% of adults binge drink, vs 17% across Massachusetts. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Lancaster’s lead shrinks
Lancaster is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, but 71% of the 4,055 towns with similar household incomes ($101K–$169K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Fewer Lancaster adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Massachusetts. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Lancaster
Lancaster runs below Massachusetts on COPD (4.8% vs 5.9%) and stroke (2.5% vs 3%). Conditions ↓
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 Lancaster’s likely range; Lancaster’s figures come from ZIP code 01523, 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 Lancaster’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lancaster is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, #104 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 78%.
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). Lancaster’s median household income is $134,833; among the 4,055 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($101K–$169K), it’s healthier than 71%, about where its income would put it.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Lancaster is healthier than 63% of graded towns, against 91% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
26 miles of trails across 14 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.
9.5% of Lancaster adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Out of every 100 Lancaster adults…
Lancaster runs below MA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Lancaster
No hospital or community health center in Lancaster 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 Lancaster; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lancaster adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Lancaster adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
1 in 3 Lancaster 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.
Lancaster and the towns around it
Lancaster’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | A | 30.8% | 8.6% | 10% | ZIP 01523 |
| Harvard | A | 29.7% | 9.7% | 9.2% | ZIP codes |
| Devens | — | — | — | — | |
| Leominster | B | 34% | 10.9% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Clinton | B | 33.6% | 9.9% | 13% | ZIP 01510 |
| Bolton | A+ | 27.7% | 7.7% | 6.8% | ZIP 01740 |
| Sterling | A | 30.3% | 9.4% | 9.7% | ZIP 01564 |
Devens: 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 Lancaster adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lancaster
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lancaster is better than Massachusetts on 11 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Lancaster’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lancaster | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.7%11.8–16 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.4%9.9–12.9 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.5–17 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.8%26.9–34.9 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.5–9.8 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.8%28.1–33.6 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34%31.2–36.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.5%22.3–26.8 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%10.1–12.5 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.8–9.4 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.4–5.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.1–5.8 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.2–2.9 | 3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9%7.4–10.7 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10%8.1–12.1 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19%16.2–22.1 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20.2%17.7–22.9 | 17% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.2%29.4–36.8 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.6%3.6–5.9 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.8%78.2–83.1 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.9%71.4–76.2 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.6%89.1–91.9 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.3%70.3–76 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.2%69.6–76.2 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 85%80.4–88.4 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%20.9–26.1 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.8%29.5–36.3 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.5%20.7–26.7 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.2%7.4–11.2 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.9%7.3–10.6 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.8%4.9–6.8 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%5–7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5%7.6–11.7 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.9%21–27 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.4%8–11.1 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12%10.3–13.8 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.5–5.8 | 6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.1–2.9 | 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 Lancaster
Is Lancaster a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lancaster is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns: A for health, #104 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 71%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lancaster?
CDC estimates 30.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.9% and 34.9%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lancaster?
Umass Memorial Healthalliance Hospitals in Leominster, 6.0 miles in a straight line from Lancaster’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lancaster have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.6–5.9%), 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster.
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.