Photo: The original uploader was Bobak at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 2.5On CDC estimates, Nantucket is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Nantucket beats Massachusetts on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 02554, 02564. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Nantucket
Fewer Nantucket 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 ↓
Nantucket is an active town
Only 17.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 21.7% across Massachusetts. The town has 208 miles of trails across 83 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Nantucket
Nantucket runs below Massachusetts on COPD (4.7% vs 5.9%), stroke (2.5% vs 3%) and diabetes (8.3% vs 9.8%). 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 Nantucket’s likely range; Nantucket’s figures come from ZIP codes 02554, 02564, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Nantucket’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nantucket is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #72 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 95% of towns); the weakest is mental 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). Nantucket’s median household income is $139,688; among the 3,602 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($105K–$175K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Nantucket is healthier than 74% of graded towns, against 94% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.6% of Nantucket 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.
208 miles of trails across 83 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Nantucket adults…
Nantucket runs below MA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Nantucket
1 hospital in Nantucket, 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 Nantucket; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Nantucket adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Nantucket adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
1 in 3 Nantucket 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.
Nantucket and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nantucket | A | 27.4% | 8.3% | 9.4% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Nantucket adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Nantucket
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Nantucket is better than Massachusetts on 13 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Nantucket’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Nantucket | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.2%11.3–15.1 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.8%9.4–12.3 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.1–16.8 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.4%20–35.5 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.3%7–9.6 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.5%24.5–32.6 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.2%29.8–38.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.6%21.4–27.8 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.9–9.6 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.5–5.6 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.1–5.3 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.8 | 3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.4%5.8–9.2 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.4%7.8–11 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.3%14–21 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.8%15.4–22.7 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.2%24.6–37.9 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.8%4–5.7 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.8%77.2–84.1 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75%71.8–77.9 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91%89.6–92.2 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.4%70.9–77.7 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.7%65.8–75.2 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.5%77–88.6 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%19.3–26.8 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.2%27.2–37.7 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.7%18.4–25.2 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.1%7.5–10.8 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.2%7.8–10.7 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.8%5–6.7 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%5.1–6.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.6%8.1–11.4 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.6%19.9–27.5 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.3%8–10.8 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.8%10.3–13.2 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.8–6.1 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.8–3.5 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%5.1–6.5 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.2–2.7 | 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 Nantucket
Is Nantucket a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nantucket is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #72 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Nantucket?
CDC estimates 27.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 20% and 35.5%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Nantucket?
Nantucket Cottage Hospital in Nantucket, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Nantucket’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Nantucket have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4–5.7%), 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 Nantucket 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 Nantucket.
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.