Photo: Fletcher · CC BY 4.0Within Massachusetts, Peabody is healthier than 27% of graded towns
Peabody differs from Massachusetts on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Peabody. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Peabody
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Peabody is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, but only 27% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Peabody
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7%), vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. COPD is also above the state: 7.1%, vs 5.9% across Massachusetts. In all, Peabody runs above Massachusetts on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Peabody, and more people treating it
34.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Massachusetts 30.9%), but 78.3% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.4% statewide. 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 Peabody’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Peabody’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Peabody is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #204 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 87% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 57%.
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). Peabody’s median household income is $96,657; among the 9,083 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$121K), it’s healthier than 71%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Peabody adults…
Peabody runs above MA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Peabody adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Care in and near Peabody
2 community health centers in Peabody, 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 Peabody; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
21 miles of trails across 34 parks and preserves
How Peabody adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
1 in 3 Peabody 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.
13% of Peabody adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Peabody and the towns around it
Peabody’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peabody | A− | 29% | 10.3% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Danvers | — | — | — | — | |
| Danvers | A | 27.8% | 9.2% | 10.2% | ZIP 01923 |
| Middleton | A | 28.1% | 9.1% | 11% | ZIP 01949 |
| Salem | A− | 29.7% | 9.2% | 11% | CDC place |
| Lynn | C+ | 33.8% | 12.3% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Lynnfield | — | — | — | — | |
| Lynnfield | A+ | 26.3% | 8.7% | 8.6% | ZIP 01940 |
Danvers and Lynnfield: 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 Peabody adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Peabody
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Peabody is better than Massachusetts on 2 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Peabody’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Peabody | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.8%14.9–18.6 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12.2–15.1 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%14–17.2 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29%25–33 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.3%9–11.5 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.3%31.4–37.1 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.1%34.1–40 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.7%26.2–31 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12%10.8–13.2 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.7–11.6 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.3–7.8 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.9%8.1–12 | 11.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%10.4–13.4 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24%21.1–26.9 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%13–17.2 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.6%30.8–38.7 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.1%4.3–5.8 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.2%79.8–84.3 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.1%70.5–75.7 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.5%89.3–91.6 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.3%75.5–80.6 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.6%68.1–75.1 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.6%78.9–87.7 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%20.3–25.4 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%28.6–35.2 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.1%20.6–25.9 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.8%10.3–13.3 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.1%8.9–11.5 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13%11.4–14.8 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.8%26.8–32.6 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.5%11.9–15.2 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14%12.5–15.4 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.9–4.7 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%7.1–8.8 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 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 Peabody
Is Peabody a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Peabody is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #204 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 71%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Peabody?
CDC estimates 29% of adults have obesity, likely between 25% and 33%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Peabody?
North Shore Medical Center in Salem, 3.5 miles in a straight line from Peabody’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Peabody have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–5.8%), 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 Peabody 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 Peabody.
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.