Photo: T.S. Custadio aka ToddC4176 at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Marion is healthier than 34%
Marion differs from Massachusetts on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 02738. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Marion
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Marion is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, but only 35% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Marion’s lead shrinks
Marion is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, but 34% of the 3,308 towns with similar household incomes ($107K–$179K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Marion
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.4%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.1%), vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. Arthritis is also above the state: 30.2%, vs 25.4% across Massachusetts. In all, Marion runs above Massachusetts on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Massachusetts 18%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Marion keeps up with checkups
It beats Massachusetts on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (76.4% vs 69.8%) and cholesterol checks (92% vs 89.7%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Marion 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 ↓
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 Marion’s likely range; Marion’s figures come from ZIP code 02738, 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 Marion’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Marion is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #182 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 89% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 65%.
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). Marion’s median household income is $143,092; among the 3,308 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($107K–$179K), it’s healthier than 34%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Marion is healthier than 35% of graded towns, against 81% nationally.
Out of every 100 Marion adults…
Marion runs above MA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Marion is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Massachusetts. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Marion as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Marion adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.3% of Marion adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Care in and near Marion
No hospital or community health center in Marion 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 Marion; ≈ 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.
22 miles of trails across 58 parks and preserves
How Marion adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
1 in 3 Marion 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.
Marion and the towns around it
Marion’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion | A− | 28.3% | 10.9% | 11.1% | ZIP 02738 |
| Wareham | B | 30.6% | 11.6% | 14.3% | ZIP codes |
| Weweantic | — | — | — | — | |
| Rochester | A− | 28.8% | 9.8% | 12% | ZIP codes |
| Mattapoisett | A | 26.4% | 9.9% | 8.8% | ZIP 02739 |
| Bourne | A | 26.6% | 7.7% | 11.4% | ZIP codes |
| Pocasset | — | — | — | — | |
| Mattapoisett Center | — | — | — | — |
Weweantic, Pocasset and Mattapoisett Center: 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 Marion adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Marion
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Marion is better than Massachusetts on 9 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Marion’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Marion | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.6%13.1–18.2 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.4–15.1 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%13.8–17.6 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.3%23.6–32.6 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.3–12.4 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%30.9–37.4 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.6%36.9–43.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 30.2%27.2–33.1 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.2 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.4%10.3–12.5 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.2–8 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.9%5.7–8.1 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.6%8–11.9 | 11.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%8.9–13.4 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.2%16.8–23.7 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.7–18.6 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.7%27.3–35.1 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.6%2.9–4.6 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.5%80.9–85.7 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 76.4%74.2–79 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92%90.7–93.2 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.5%76.5–82.1 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.2%72.1–78.6 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 85%80.9–89.2 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.5%20.4–26.3 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%28.1–35.7 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%19–25.1 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.1%7.4–11.1 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.6%7.1–10.3 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.4%4.5–6.4 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.8%4.9–6.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.3%8.2–12.7 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.4%26.5–34.2 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.9%10.8–15.1 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.9%11.1–14.8 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.8–8.8 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.4–4.5 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%5.9–8.1 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 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 Marion
Is Marion a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Marion is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #182 of 279 in Massachusetts. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Marion?
CDC estimates 28.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.6% and 32.6%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Marion?
Falmouth Hospital in Falmouth, 11.7 miles in a straight line from Marion’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Marion have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.9–4.6%), 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 Marion 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 Marion.
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.