Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Newbury

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Looking south across the pond on the Upper Green, Newbury MAPhoto: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0
AHealth Grade
Health in Newbury · CDC PLACES 2025

Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Newbury is healthier than 40%

Newbury differs from Massachusetts on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 4 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 01951, 01922. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Newbury

Against towns with similar incomes, Newbury’s lead shrinks

Newbury is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, but 40% of the 1,540 towns with similar household incomes ($131K–$219K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓

Massachusetts sets a high bar

Newbury is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, but only 66% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓

Newbury keeps up with checkups

It beats Massachusetts on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84% vs 80.9%) and dentist visits (78.4% vs 69.8%). Checkups ↓

Cancer and arthritis run high in Newbury

1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.6%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.4%), vs 25.4% across Massachusetts. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Massachusetts 18%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

Newbury adults report less loneliness

Loneliness (28% vs 34.2%), frequent mental distress (13.7% vs 16.2%) and lack of emotional support (19% vs 23.4%) all run below Massachusetts. Mind & connection ↓

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 Newbury’s likely range; Newbury’s figures come from ZIP codes 01951, 01922, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.

Health Grade

What’s behind Newbury’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Newbury is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #95 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 92% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 80%.

ASelf-rated health13.3% · MA 16.3% · U.S. 19.4%
A−Physical distress12.1% · MA 12.3% · U.S. 13%
AMental distress13.7% · MA 16.2% · U.S. 15.9%
AObesity28.2% · MA 27.7% · U.S. 32.9%
A−Diabetes9.8% · MA 9.8% · U.S. 12%
ASmoking9.5% smoke · MA 11.3% · U.S. 11.8%
AExercise18.9% · MA 21.7% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 92%
Less healthyHealthier
Massachusetts towns we grade (279)Healthier than 66%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $131K–$219K (1,540)Healthier than 40%

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). Newbury’s median household income is $174,868; among the 1,540 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($131K–$219K), it’s healthier than 40%, less than its income alone would suggest.

Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Newbury is healthier than 66% of graded towns, against 92% nationally.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Newbury could be anywhere from B+ to A+. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 01951,01922), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Newbury adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.

84%Yearly checkupMA 81%
78%Dentist visitMA 70%
93%Cholesterol checkMA 90%
76%Colon screeningMA 68%
86%MammogramMA 84%
80%Taking BP medsMA 75%
1 in 38
working-age adults has no health insurance
Newbury 2.6% · Massachusetts 1 in 19 (5.2%)
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Newbury adults…

Newbury runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.

12 of every 100 Newbury adults have had cancer
Massachusetts: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 10.5–12.7%
Better than MAWorseAbout the sameMassachusetts
Why age matters here

Newbury is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Massachusetts. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Newbury as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Newbury27%
Massachusetts18%
Mind & connection

How Newbury adults are doing

On 3 of 4 measures, Newbury does better than Massachusetts.

3 in 10Newbury adults feel lonely
28% · MA 34.2% · Better than MA
1 in 5Newbury adults lack social or emotional support
19% · MA 23.4% · Better than MA
1 in 4Newbury adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.8% · MA 23.8% · About the same as MA
1 in 7Newbury adults are in frequent mental distress
13.7% · MA 16.2% · Better than MA
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Newbury adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Getting care

Care in and near Newbury

No hospital or community health center in Newbury itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERAnna Jaques HospitalNewburyport · 3.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyNorth Shore Medical Center★★★★★ · 17.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careGreater Lawrence Family Health CenterHaverhill · 10.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
3.2 mi
Anna Jaques Hospital
Newburyport · ★★★★★
ER
10.4 mi
Greater Lawrence Family Health Center
5 sites · nearest in Haverhill
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
13.9 mi
Gloucester Family Health Center
Gloucester · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
14.2 mi
Northeast Hospital Corporation
Beverly · ★★★★★
ER
14.6 mi
Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital
Lawrence · ★★★★★
ER
15.1 mi
Holy Family Hospital
Methuen · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNewbury is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careNewbury is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNewbury is not a shortage area

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 Newbury; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts

Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.

Get no exercise 18.9%MA 21.7%
Sleep under 7 hours 32.2%MA 33.6%
Binge drink 15.4%MA 17%
Smoke cigarettes 9.5%MA 11.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Newbury, betterNewbury, worseAbout the sameMassachusetts
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 14
Newbury adults worry about having enough food
7.2% · MA 12.4%
Better than MA
1 in 15
Newbury adults worry about keeping their housing
6.6% · MA 11.1%
Better than MA
1 in 21
Newbury adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.8% · MA 7%
Better than MA
1 in 20
Newbury adults lack reliable transportation
4.9% · MA 7.6%
Better than MA

8.3% of Newbury adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.

Around town

Newbury and the towns around it

Newbury’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 6 graded towns around it.

Rowley: 27.4%West Newbury: 27.1%Newburyport: 26.8%Georgetown: 27.4%Groveland: 27.6%Ipswich: 27.5%Boxford: 26.2%Merrimac: 29.3%Haverhill: 31.9%Amesbury: no dataSalisbury: 28.9%Newbury: 28.2%NewburyRowleyWest NewburyNewburyportGeorgetownGrovelandAnna Jaques Hospital · Newburyport · 3.2 mi · 3★ MedicareHMerrimack Health Lawrence Hospital · Lawrence · 14.6 mi · 2★ MedicareHHoly Family Hospital · Methuen · 15.1 mi · 2★ MedicareHCommunity Action Drop-In Center · Haverhill · 10.4 mi+
Healthier than MANear MALess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#8 of 11 towns on this map, healthiest first
Newburyport26.8%
West Newbury27.1%
Rowley27.4%
Georgetown27.4%
Groveland27.6%
Newbury28.2%
MA27.7%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
NewburyA28.2%9.8%9.5%ZIP codes
RowleyA+27.4%8.6%9.2%ZIP 01969
West NewburyA+27.1%8.8%8.4%ZIP 01985
NewburyportA+26.8%8.9%8%CDC place
GrovelandA27.6%8.7%9.9%ZIP 01834
GeorgetownA+27.4%8.2%9.3%ZIP 01833

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

24.9%

of Newbury adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs11.2%
Thinking or memory11%
Hearing6.6%
Errands alone6.1%
Vision3.2%
Dressing or bathing2.8%
Massachusetts

Every CDC estimate for Newbury

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Newbury is better than Massachusetts on 14 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Newbury’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…NewburyMAU.S.vs MA
Overall health
Fair or poor health13.3%10.8–16.316.3%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)12.1%10.2–14.212.3%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)13.7%11.7–15.716.2%15.9%Better
Conditions
Obesity28.2%24.1–32.627.7%32.9%About the same
Diabetes9.8%8.2–11.49.8%12%About the same
High blood pressure34.3%31.1–37.630.9%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)38.7%35.6–41.835.4%37.1%Worse
Arthritis29.4%26.5–32.325.4%25.3%Worse
Asthma11.8%10.4–13.111.6%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer11.6%10.5–12.78.5%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease6.5%5.6–7.65.8%6.4%About the same
COPD6.2%4.9–7.85.9%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.1%2.6–3.63%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)6.9%5.5–8.511.9%12.3%Better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes9.5%7.1–12.311.3%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work18.9%15.4–23.121.7%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking15.4%13.4–17.717%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours32.2%28.4–36.233.6%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)2.6%1.9–3.65.2%11%Better
Checkup in the past year84%81.6–8680.9%77.4%Better
Dentist visit in the past year78.4%75.9–80.769.8%63.2%Better
Cholesterol check in 5 years92.8%91.4–93.989.7%87.1%Better
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)79.5%76.5–82.275.4%76.5%Better
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)75.8%72.5–78.868.4%65.5%Better
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)86%81.9–89.683.7%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression22.8%20–25.623.8%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely28%24.7–31.634.2%32.5%Better
Lack social and emotional support19%16.1–22.123.4%23.6%Better
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food7.2%5.3–9.512.4%15%Better
Worried about keeping housing6.6%5–8.311.1%12%Better
Threatened with a utility shut-off4.8%3.7–5.97%7.6%Better
Lack reliable transportation4.9%3.9–67.6%7.9%Better
Received SNAP (food stamps)8.3%5.9–11.114.1%11.6%Lower
Disability
Any disability24.9%21.1–28.927.3%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs11.2%9.1–13.711.6%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering11%9.1–13.213.7%13.9%Lower
Hearing difficulty6.6%5.7–7.66%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty3.2%2.7–3.84.1%5.4%Lower
Difficulty doing errands alone6.1%5–7.57.2%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing2.8%2.3–3.43.1%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 Newbury

Is Newbury a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Newbury is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #95 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 Newbury?

CDC estimates 28.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.1% and 32.6%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Newbury?

Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, 3.2 miles in a straight line from Newbury’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

How many people in Newbury have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 2.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 1.9–3.6%), 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 Newbury 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 Newbury.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.