Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Pelham is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns
Pelham differs from Massachusetts on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 01002, 01007. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pelham
Pelham is older than Massachusetts, yet healthier on chronic conditions
Pelham runs below Massachusetts on seven chronic conditions, most of all obesity (21.6% vs 27.7%), high cholesterol (28.3% vs 35.4%) and high blood pressure (24.9% vs 30.9%). That’s despite an older population: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Massachusetts 18%). Conditions ↓
Pelham is an active town
Only 17.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 21.7% across Massachusetts. The town has 72 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
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 Pelham’s likely range; Pelham’s figures come from ZIP codes 01002, 01007, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Pelham’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pelham is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better 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). Pelham’s median household income is $113,750; among the 6,643 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($85K–$142K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Pelham adults…
Pelham runs below MA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Pelham is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Massachusetts. Many conditions rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Pelham as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
72 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves
Care in and near Pelham
No hospital or community health center in Pelham itself. These are the nearest.
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 Pelham; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Pelham adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Pelham adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
2 in 5 Pelham 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.
14% of Pelham adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Pelham and the towns around it
Pelham’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelham | A | 21.6% | 8% | 9.3% | ZIP codes |
| New Salem | A | 24.6% | 10.2% | 9.9% | ZIP codes |
| Belchertown | A | 24.2% | 9.1% | 10.9% | ZIP 01007 |
| Amherst Town | A | 18.5% | 5.2% | 7.4% | CDC place |
| Shutesbury | A | 24.3% | 9.3% | 9.8% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pelham adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pelham
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pelham is better than Massachusetts on 11 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Pelham’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pelham | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.5%12.7–16.5 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.2%9.9–12.5 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.7–19.7 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 21.6%17.5–26 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8%7–9.1 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 24.9%22.2–27.7 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 28.3%25.3–31.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 20.6%18.6–22.9 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.5–13.1 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.1%6.4–7.8 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.5–5.5 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.7 | 3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.7%8.8–12.9 | 11.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.3%7.9–10.8 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.9%15.1–21.1 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.3%13.8–19.1 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.2%27.5–37.5 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.5%3.8–5.3 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.6%76.4–82.4 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.1%65.9–72.3 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.5%83.5–87.2 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.2%69.6–74.5 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.4%67.4–75.4 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.3%76.6–87.3 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.6%23.3–30 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38%33.8–42.5 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.6%20.5–26.8 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.4%10.5–14.4 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.5–11.5 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%5.9–7.9 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.8%7.8–10 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14%11.9–16 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.2%23–29.7 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.9%13.2–16.7 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.8–6.1 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.6–4.4 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.7–8.5 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Pelham
Is Pelham a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pelham is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pelham?
CDC estimates 21.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 17.5% and 26%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pelham?
The Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc in Northampton, 13.8 miles in a straight line from Pelham’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Pelham have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.8–5.3%), 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 Pelham more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Pelham.
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.