Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Phillipston is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns
Phillipston trails Massachusetts on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01331. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Phillipston
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Phillipston
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9%), vs 5.9% across Massachusetts. 1 in 26 adults have had a stroke (3.9%), vs 3% across Massachusetts. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.5%, vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. In all, Phillipston runs above Massachusetts on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Phillipston
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.7%), vs 11.3% across Massachusetts. Habits ↓
Mental distress runs high in Phillipston
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (19.4%), vs 16.2% across Massachusetts. Depression is above the state too: 28.3%, vs 23.8% across Massachusetts. Mind & connection ↓
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 Phillipston’s likely range; Phillipston’s figures come from ZIP code 01331, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Phillipston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Phillipston is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 57% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Phillipston’s median household income is $94,692; among the 9,348 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$118K), it’s healthier than 13%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Phillipston adults…
Phillipston runs above MA on 11 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
16 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
How Phillipston adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Phillipston runs above Massachusetts.
1 in 3 Phillipston 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.
Care in and near Phillipston
No hospital or community health center in Phillipston 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 Phillipston; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Phillipston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.6% of Phillipston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Phillipston and the towns around it
Phillipston’s Health Grade ranks 5th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillipston | C | 35.2% | 11.9% | 16.7% | ZIP 01331 |
| Templeton | B | 33.3% | 10.4% | 13.8% | ZIP codes |
| Athol | C | 35.1% | 12% | 16.6% | ZIP codes |
| Royalston | C+ | 34.4% | 12.6% | 15.6% | ZIP 01368 |
| Petersham | B+ | 33.2% | 12% | 12.2% | ZIP 01366 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Phillipston adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Phillipston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Phillipston is better than Massachusetts on 0 and worse on 20; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Phillipston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Phillipston | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.1%18.9–23.5 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.7–18.1 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.6–21.4 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%30.9–39.8 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.9%10.5–13.4 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.1%34.2–40 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.4%34.5–40.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.5%28.9–34 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13.2%11.9–14.6 | 11.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.7–10.4 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9%7.9–10 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.2 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.2%13.3–19.1 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7%14.6–18.9 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.6%24.5–30.9 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%15.2–19.9 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.1%31.1–38.7 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.5%4.6–6.5 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.3%78.9–83.7 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.5%63.5–69.1 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.8%87.3–90.1 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.7%74.1–79.2 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.8%65.1–72.2 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.7%78.8–87.4 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.3%25.4–31.2 | 23.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35.1%31.9–38.4 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25%22.4–27.8 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.3%13.4–17.5 | 12.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.1%10.6–13.8 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.7%7.6–9.8 | 7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.9%7.9–10 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.6%17.2–22.2 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.5%30.4–36.7 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.6%13.8–17.5 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.1%15.5–19 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.6–8.3 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.6–10.7 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.8–4.7 | 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 Phillipston
Is Phillipston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Phillipston is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 13%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Phillipston?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.9% and 39.8%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Phillipston?
Athol Memorial Hospital in Athol, 3.6 miles in a straight line from Phillipston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Phillipston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.6–6.5%), 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 Phillipston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Phillipston.
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.