Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0Within Massachusetts, Palmer Town is healthier than 9% of graded towns
Palmer Town trails Massachusetts on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Palmer Town. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Palmer Town
Depression is more common in Palmer Town
3 in 10 adults have been diagnosed with depression (28.6%), vs 23.8% across Massachusetts. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 19.1%, vs 16.2% across Massachusetts. Mind & connection ↓
In Palmer Town, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 5.2% of working-age adults are uninsured (Massachusetts 5.2%), yet 19.9% say their health is fair or poor, vs 16.3% across the state. Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Palmer Town
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (15.3%), vs 11.3% across Massachusetts. Habits ↓
Palmer Town has a top-rated hospital
Baystate Wing 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 Palmer Town’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Palmer Town’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmer Town is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns, #254 of 279 in Massachusetts. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 71% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Palmer Town’s median household income is $78,480; among the 10,821 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$98K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
How Palmer Town adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Palmer Town runs above Massachusetts.
4 in 10 Palmer Town 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Palmer Town adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
12 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Care in and near Palmer Town
1 hospital in Palmer Town, 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 Palmer Town; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Palmer Town adults…
Palmer Town runs above MA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.1% of Palmer Town adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Palmer Town and the towns around it
Palmer Town’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmer Town | B− | 33% | 10.7% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Monson | B− | 33.2% | 11.2% | 15.1% | ZIP codes |
| Belchertown | A | 24.2% | 9.1% | 10.9% | ZIP 01007 |
| Brimfield | A− | 30.9% | 10.1% | 11.7% | ZIP 01010 |
| Warren | B | 33.7% | 10.9% | 13.9% | ZIP codes |
| Ware | C+ | 28.4% | 11.6% | 16.9% | ZIP 01082 |
| Ware | — | — | — | — |
Ware: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Palmer Town adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Palmer Town
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Palmer Town is better than Massachusetts on 0 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Palmer Town’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Palmer Town | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.9%17.2–22.7 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.7–17.5 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.1%17–21.3 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33%28.4–37.9 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 10.7%9.2–12.2 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.3%31.2–37.5 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%32.5–39.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.2%28.3–34 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13.1%11.7–14.7 | 11.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.7%8.9–10.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6–7.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.9%6.7–9.1 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14%11.5–16.6 | 11.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.3%13–17.8 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.1%22.4–30 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.5%14.9–20.1 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.5%32.2–41 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.2%4.2–6.2 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.6%77.8–83.1 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.8%64.7–70.7 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%87.4–90.3 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.7%73.7–79.3 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%64.2–72.2 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81%75.5–85.7 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.6%25.5–32 | 23.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 36.3%32.7–40.3 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.5%24.5–30.9 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.5%11.6–15.7 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.9%10.3–13.7 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.8–9 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.1%7.1–9.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.1%14.8–19.7 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.5%29.7–37.5 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.1%13–17.3 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%14.3–18.4 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.3–8 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4–5.1 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%7.7–10.1 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Palmer Town
Is Palmer Town a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmer Town is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #254 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 46%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Palmer Town?
CDC estimates 33% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.4% and 37.9%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Palmer Town?
Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer, 2.3 miles in a straight line from Palmer Town’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Palmer Town have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.2–6.2%), 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 Palmer Town more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Palmer Town.
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.