Photo: User:Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Needham is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Needham differs from Massachusetts on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 24 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 02492, 02494. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Needham
Needham is an active town
Only 13.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 21.7% across Massachusetts. The town has 45 miles of trails across 33 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Needham adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (29.5% vs 34.2%), frequent mental distress (12.4% vs 16.2%), lack of emotional support (18.8% vs 23.4%) and depression (21.1% vs 23.8%) all run below Massachusetts. Mind & connection ↓
Needham has a five-star hospital
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Few Needham adults smoke
6.5% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 11.3% across Massachusetts. Habits ↓
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 Needham’s likely range; Needham’s figures come from ZIP codes 02492, 02494, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Needham’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Needham is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #5 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than almost every town); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 97%.
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). Needham’s median household income is $214,308; among the 795 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($161K–$268K), it’s healthier than 93%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
45 miles of trails across 33 parks and preserves
How Needham adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, Needham does better than Massachusetts.
3 in 10 Needham 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.
Care in and near Needham
1 hospital in Needham, 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 Needham; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Needham adults…
Needham runs below MA on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Needham 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.
5.7% of Needham adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Needham and the towns around it
Needham’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Needham | A+ | 21.3% | 7.9% | 6.5% | ZIP codes |
| Needham | — | — | — | — | |
| Dover | A+ | 20.9% | 7.8% | 6.1% | ZIP 02030 |
| Dover | — | — | — | — | |
| Newton | A+ | 21.2% | 7.9% | 6.5% | CDC place |
| Dedham | — | — | — | — | |
| Dedham | A | 24.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% | ZIP 02026 |
| Wellesley | — | — | — | — |
Needham, Dover, Dedham and Wellesley: 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 Needham adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Needham
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Needham is better than Massachusetts on 24 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Needham’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Needham | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10.3%8.9–12 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 12.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.9–13.9 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 21.3%17.9–24.9 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.9%6.9–9.1 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.1%26.3–31.9 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37%33.9–40.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.2%23.8–28.8 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.2–11.5 | 11.6% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.7–11.6 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.4–5.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.1%3.4–4.8 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.2–2.7 | 3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.2%3.4–5.2 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6.5%5.3–7.8 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 13.3%11.2–15.7 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.7–19.4 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.7%25.1–32.3 | 33.6% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 2.4%1.9–2.9 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.2%80.8–85.5 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 80.3%78–82.3 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.3%92.3–94.3 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.6%74.5–80.3 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.1%68.7–75.3 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 86.9%82.8–90.2 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.1%18.6–23.7 | 23.8% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%26.1–32.8 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.8%16.3–21.3 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.3%4.3–6.5 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.2%4.3–6.2 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.5%3–4.2 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4%3.4–4.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.7%4.5–7.1 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 20.8%18.2–23.5 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.5%7.2–9.9 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.4%8.2–10.7 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.5%2.2–2.9 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.7%4–5.4 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2%1.7–2.3 | 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 Needham
Is Needham a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Needham is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #5 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 93%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Needham?
CDC estimates 21.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 17.9% and 24.9%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Needham?
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham in Needham, 1.3 miles in a straight line from Needham’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Needham have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 2.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 1.9–2.9%), 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 Needham more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Needham.
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.