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Health in Northwest Harwich · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Northwest Harwich residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Northwest Harwich, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Northwest Harwich. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Northwest Harwich

Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Northwest Harwich

1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13.1%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (35.3%), vs 25.4% across Massachusetts. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.6%, vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. In all, Northwest Harwich runs above Massachusetts on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 37% of residents are 65 or older (Massachusetts 18%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

More high blood pressure in Northwest Harwich, and more people treating it

37.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Massachusetts 30.9%), but 82.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.4% statewide. Checkups ↓

Northwest Harwich keeps up with checkups

It beats Massachusetts on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (85.3% vs 80.9%) and dentist visits (74.9% vs 69.8%). 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 Northwest Harwich’s likely range.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Northwest Harwich adults…

Northwest Harwich runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.

13 of every 100 Northwest Harwich adults have had cancer
Massachusetts: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 11.9–14.4%
Better than MAWorseAbout the sameMassachusetts
Why age matters here

Northwest Harwich is an older town: 37% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Massachusetts. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Northwest Harwich as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Northwest Harwich37%
Massachusetts18%
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

85%Yearly checkupMA 81%
75%Dentist visitMA 70%
93%Cholesterol checkMA 90%
77%Colon screeningMA 68%
83%MammogramMA 84%
83%Taking BP medsMA 75%
1 in 29
working-age adults has no health insurance
Northwest Harwich 3.5% · Massachusetts 1 in 19 (5.2%)
Getting care

Care in and near Northwest Harwich

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

HNearest ERCape Cod HospitalHyannis · 9.1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyCape Cod Hospital★★★★★ · 9.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHarbor Health ServicesSouth Dennis · 2.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.3 mi
Harbor Health Services
2 sites · nearest in South Dennis
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
2.8 mi
Outer Cape Health Services
2 sites · nearest in Harwich Port
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
9.1 mi
Cape Cod Hospital
Hyannis · ★★★★★
ER
28.2 mi
Falmouth Hospital
Falmouth · ★★★★★
ER
28.7 mi
Nantucket Cottage Hospital
Nantucket · ★★★★★
ER
29.4 mi
Martha's Vineyard Hospital
Oak Bluffs · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
✓ Primary careNorthwest Harwich is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careNorthwest Harwich is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNorthwest Harwich 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 Northwest Harwich; ≈ 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 18.7%MA 21.7%
Sleep under 7 hours 30.6%MA 33.6%
Binge drink 14.1%MA 17%
Smoke cigarettes 10.6%MA 11.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Northwest Harwich, betterNorthwest Harwich, worseAbout the sameMassachusetts
Where Northwest Harwich gets moving

34 miles of trails across 32 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Northwest Harwich adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, Northwest Harwich does better than Massachusetts.

3 in 10Northwest Harwich adults feel lonely
30.4% · MA 34.2% · About the same as MA
1 in 5Northwest Harwich adults lack social or emotional support
21.2% · MA 23.4% · About the same as MA
1 in 4Northwest Harwich adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.9% · MA 23.8% · About the same as MA
1 in 7Northwest Harwich adults are in frequent mental distress
14.1% · MA 16.2% · Better than MA
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Northwest Harwich 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.

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 12
Northwest Harwich adults worry about having enough food
8.1% · MA 12.4%
Better than MA
1 in 14
Northwest Harwich adults worry about keeping their housing
7.4% · MA 11.1%
Better than MA
1 in 20
Northwest Harwich adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.1% · MA 7%
Better than MA
1 in 19
Northwest Harwich adults lack reliable transportation
5.3% · MA 7.6%
Better than MA

9.3% of Northwest Harwich adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.

Around town

Northwest Harwich and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Harwich: 25.7%Harwich Center: 25.5%Harwich Port: 24.6%East Harwich: 25.9%Brewster: 25.9%Dennis: 26.2%Dennis Port: 28.2%Chatham: 25%Orleans: 25.1%East Dennis: 25.4%Yarmouth: 26.5%Yarmouth Port: 24.2%South Yarmouth: 27.7%West Dennis: 26%South Dennis: 27.8%Northwest Harwich: 26.3%Northwest HarwichHarwichHarwich CenterHarwich PortEast HarwichBrewsterDennisDennis PortCape Cod Hospital · Hyannis · 9.1 mi · 2★ MedicareHEllen Jones Community Dental Clinic · South Dennis · 2.3 mi+Harwich Port Health Center · Harwich Port · 2.8 mi+
Healthier than MANear MALess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#12 of 16 towns on this map, healthiest first
Harwich Port24.6%
Harwich Center25.5%
Harwich25.7%
East Harwich25.9%
Brewster25.9%
Dennis26.2%
Northwest Harwich26.3%
Dennis Port28.2%
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
HarwichA25.7%10.4%10%ZIP codes
Harwich Center————
Harwich Port————
East Harwich————
BrewsterA25.9%10.9%9.8%ZIP codes
DennisA−26.2%11.3%10.4%ZIP codes
Dennis Port————

Harwich Center, Harwich Port, East Harwich and Dennis Port: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

27.9%

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

Walking or climbing stairs13.3%
Thinking or memory11.5%
Hearing7.9%
Errands alone6.8%
Vision3.7%
Dressing or bathing3.1%
Massachusetts

Questions about health in Northwest Harwich

Why doesn’t Northwest Harwich have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Northwest Harwich.

What hospital is closest to Northwest Harwich?

Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, 9.1 miles in a straight line from Northwest Harwich’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

Where can I get low-cost care near Northwest Harwich?

5 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Ellen Jones Community Dental Clinic in South Dennis, 2.3 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Northwest Harwich.

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. 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.