Photo: Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger) · Public domainWithin Massachusetts, Lynn is healthier than 5% of graded towns
Lynn differs from Massachusetts on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lynn. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lynn
Making ends meet is harder in Lynn
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (24.9%), about twice the Massachusetts rate. Housing insecurity (20.1% vs 11.1%) and utility shut-off threats (12.6% vs 7%) are higher too. 26.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.1% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Lynn adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32%), vs 21.7% across Massachusetts. There are 43 miles of trails across 30 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
1 in 8 working-age adults in Lynn has no health insurance
11.8% 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 Lynn’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind Lynn’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lynn is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns, #264 of 279 in Massachusetts. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 67% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 15%).
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). Lynn’s median household income is $75,043; among the 10,849 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$94K), it’s healthier than 36%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Lynn compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.4% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 104,236 residents, Lynn is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
26.3% of Lynn adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
43 miles of trails across 30 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Lynn adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Out of every 100 Lynn adults…
Lynn runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Lynn
1 community health center in Lynn, 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 Lynn; ≈ 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).
How Lynn adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Lynn runs above Massachusetts.
1 in 3 Lynn 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.
Lynn and the towns around it
Lynn’s Health Grade ranks 7th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynn | C+ | 33.8% | 12.3% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Saugus | — | — | — | — | |
| Saugus | B+ | 29.5% | 10.2% | 12.6% | ZIP 01906 |
| Nahant | — | — | — | — | |
| Nahant | A | 27.5% | 10.4% | 8.9% | ZIP 01908 |
| Lynnfield | — | — | — | — | |
| Lynnfield | A+ | 26.3% | 8.7% | 8.6% | ZIP 01940 |
| Swampscott | — | — | — | — |
Saugus, Nahant, Lynnfield and Swampscott: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lynn adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lynn
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lynn is better than Massachusetts on 1 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Lynn’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lynn | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.6%21.4–25.7 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.9–16.8 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.8–19.3 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.8%29.5–38.1 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.3%10.9–13.6 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32.3%29.6–34.9 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34%31.2–36.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.3%21.3–25.4 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12%10.8–13.2 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.4%5.9–7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.1%6.4–7.7 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.7 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.1%15.2–21.3 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.6%12.9–16.3 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32%28.7–35.2 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%12.7–17 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40%35.9–44.4 | 33.6% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.8%10.4–13.3 | 5.2% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.9%76.2–81.4 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.6%58.5–64.7 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.4%84.8–87.8 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.6%70.9–76.1 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.8%58.9–66.7 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.6%76.6–86 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.9%19.4–24.4 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.7%32.3–39.3 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.5%25.6–31.6 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24.9%22.6–27.5 | 12.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.1%18–22.2 | 11.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.6%11.2–14.1 | 7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.9%11.6–14.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 26.3%23.9–28.8 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.1%30.1–35.9 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15%13.5–16.4 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.9%16.3–19.6 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.7–7.1 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.3–7.4 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.9%9–10.8 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.4–5.1 | 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 Lynn
Is Lynn a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lynn is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #264 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 36%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lynn?
CDC estimates 33.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 38.1%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lynn?
North Shore Medical Center in Salem, 3.8 miles in a straight line from Lynn’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lynn have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.4–13.3%), 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 Lynn more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lynn.
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.