Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Lawrence is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns
Lawrence differs from Massachusetts on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 20 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lawrence. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lawrence
More Lawrence adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (38.7%), vs 21.7% across Massachusetts. There are 15 miles of trails across 33 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Lawrence
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (34%), more than twice the Massachusetts rate. Housing insecurity (27% vs 11.1%) and utility shut-off threats (16.2% vs 7%) are higher too. 34.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 5 working-age adults in Lawrence has no health insurance
18.7% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.2% across Massachusetts. Checkups ↓
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 Lawrence’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Lawrence’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lawrence is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns, #273 of 279 in Massachusetts. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 53% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Lawrence’s median household income is $60,433; among the 9,044 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$76K), it’s healthier than 30%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Lawrence is healthier than 2% of graded towns, against 20% nationally.
Where Lawrence compares well: arthritis, 20.8% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.7% (U.S. 7.9%).
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
15 miles of trails across 33 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.
34.1% of Lawrence adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lawrence adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Out of every 100 Lawrence adults…
Lawrence runs below MA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Lawrence residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Massachusetts. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Lawrence
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Lawrence, 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 Lawrence; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Lawrence adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Lawrence runs above Massachusetts.
4 in 10 Lawrence 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.
Lawrence and the towns around it
Lawrence’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence | C− | 37.2% | 14.2% | 14.5% | CDC place |
| North Andover | A | 26.5% | 8.2% | 9% | ZIP 01845 |
| Methuen | — | — | — | — | |
| Andover | A+ | 24.7% | 8.3% | 7.3% | ZIP 01810 |
Methuen: 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 Lawrence adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lawrence
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lawrence is better than Massachusetts on 4 and worse on 20; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Lawrence’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lawrence | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.2%26.7–31.8 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.5–18.7 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%16.1–19.6 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.2%32.7–41.7 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.7–15.8 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 31%28.3–33.6 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.4%30.7–36.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.8%18.9–22.7 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.2%10–12.3 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.6–6.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.2%5.6–6.8 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.6 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21%17.7–24.7 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.5%12.8–16.3 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 38.7%35.1–42.2 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.7%12.7–16.8 | 17% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41%36.8–45.4 | 33.6% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 18.7%16.4–21.2 | 5.2% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77%74–79.6 | 80.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.4%52.2–58.7 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.1%82.1–85.8 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.3%68.5–73.9 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.5%52.5–60.6 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.6%74.3–84.5 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.8%18.4–23.3 | 23.8% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 36.4%33–39.9 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.4%26.4–32.5 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 34%31–37.2 | 12.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 27%24.4–29.8 | 11.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 16.2%14.4–18 | 7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 16.7%15.1–18.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 34.1%31.2–37.1 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.7%33.5–39.9 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.8%15.2–18.5 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.4%18.5–22.3 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 9.5%8.8–10.2 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.9–12 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.8%5.3–6.2 | 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 Lawrence
Is Lawrence a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lawrence is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #273 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 30%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lawrence?
CDC estimates 37.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.7% and 41.7%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lawrence?
Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital in Lawrence, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Lawrence’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lawrence have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 18.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 16.4–21.2%), 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence.
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.