Photo: Elkman at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Oak Bluffs is healthier than 27%
Oak Bluffs differs from Massachusetts on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 02568, 02557. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Oak Bluffs
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Oak Bluffs is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, but only 29% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Oak Bluffs’ lead shrinks
Oak Bluffs is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, but 27% of the 3,114 towns with similar household incomes ($109K–$181K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, stroke and heart disease run high in Oak Bluffs
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. 1 in 26 adults have had a stroke (3.8%), vs 3% across Massachusetts. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.3%, vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. In all, Oak Bluffs runs above Massachusetts on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Oak Bluffs, and more people treating it
36.2% of adults have high blood pressure (Massachusetts 30.9%), but 78.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Oak Bluffs has a top-rated hospital
Martha's Vineyard Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Oak Bluffs’ likely range; Oak Bluffs’ figures come from ZIP codes 02568, 02557, 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 Oak Bluffs’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Oak Bluffs is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #198 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 93% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 61%.
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). Oak Bluffs’ median household income is $145,196; among the 3,114 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($109K–$181K), it’s healthier than 27%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Oak Bluffs is healthier than 29% of graded towns, against 78% nationally.
Out of every 100 Oak Bluffs adults…
Oak Bluffs runs above MA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Oak Bluffs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Care in and near Oak Bluffs
1 hospital in Oak Bluffs, 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 Oak Bluffs; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
22 miles of trails across 31 parks and preserves
How Oak Bluffs adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
1 in 3 Oak Bluffs 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.7% of Oak Bluffs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Oak Bluffs and the towns around it
Oak Bluffs’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Bluffs | A− | 26.4% | 11% | 11.8% | ZIP codes |
| Edgartown | A− | 25.5% | 10% | 12.2% | ZIP 02539 |
| Tisbury | A− | 26.4% | 10.3% | 12.3% | ZIP 02568 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Oak Bluffs adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Oak Bluffs
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Oak Bluffs is better than Massachusetts on 2 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Oak Bluffs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Oak Bluffs | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.8%14.4–19.4 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.8–15.4 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14–17.9 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.4%20.2–33.5 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11%9.5–12.7 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.2%32.2–40.6 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37%32.7–41.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.2%27.8–34.9 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.2%10.9–13.7 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%10–12.2 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.5–8.3 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.2%6.2–8.4 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.9%8.8–13.5 | 11.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.8%9.8–13.9 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.3%16.7–24.4 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.2%12.5–18.2 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.8%27.5–40.9 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.4%3.5–5.4 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.8%79.7–85.6 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.2%68.9–75.5 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.4%90.1–92.6 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.9%75.8–81.6 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.4%67.8–76.9 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.8%76.6–88.3 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%20.7–28 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.5%26.3–36.4 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.2%18.7–25.8 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.5%8.5–12.7 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.5%7.9–11.2 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.5–7.6 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%6–7.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.7%10.4–15.2 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.6%25.6–33.8 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.7%11.7–16.1 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.4%11.7–15.2 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.6–8.4 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.8–4.9 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.6–8.8 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.1–4 | 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 Oak Bluffs
Is Oak Bluffs a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Oak Bluffs is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #198 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 Oak Bluffs?
CDC estimates 26.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.2% and 33.5%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Oak Bluffs?
Martha's Vineyard Hospital in Oak Bluffs, 1.3 miles in a straight line from Oak Bluffs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Oak Bluffs have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.5–5.4%), 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 Oak Bluffs 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 Oak Bluffs.
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.