Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Princeton is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns
Princeton differs from Massachusetts on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01541. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Princeton
Against towns with similar incomes, Princeton’s lead shrinks
Princeton is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns, but 59% of the 2,241 towns with similar household incomes ($119K–$198K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Princeton keeps up with checkups
It beats Massachusetts on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84% vs 80.9%) and dentist visits (78.2% vs 69.8%). Checkups ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Princeton
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.9%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.5%), vs 25.4% across Massachusetts. Conditions ↓
Nearly everyone in Princeton is insured
Only 2.6% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.2% across Massachusetts. 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 Princeton’s likely range; Princeton’s figures come from ZIP code 01541, 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 Princeton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Princeton is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns, #84 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 94% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 83%.
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). Princeton’s median household income is $158,750; among the 2,241 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($119K–$198K), it’s healthier than 59%, about where its income would put it.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Princeton is healthier than 70% of graded towns, against 93% nationally.
Keeping up with care
Share of Princeton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Out of every 100 Princeton adults…
Princeton runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Princeton
No hospital or community health center in Princeton 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 Princeton; ≈ 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.
66 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves
How Princeton adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Princeton does better than Massachusetts.
3 in 10 Princeton 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.
7.4% of Princeton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Princeton and the towns around it
Princeton has the best Health Grade of the 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton | A | 30.1% | 9.5% | 8.9% | ZIP 01541 |
| Sterling | A | 30.3% | 9.4% | 9.7% | ZIP 01564 |
| Westminster | A− | 31.6% | 9.5% | 11.5% | ZIP 01473 |
| Hubbardston | B+ | 32.7% | 10.3% | 13.2% | ZIP 01452 |
| Leominster | B | 34% | 10.9% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Holden | A | 29.8% | 8.6% | 9.3% | ZIP codes |
| Rutland | A | 31.1% | 8.5% | 11.1% | ZIP 01543 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Princeton adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Princeton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Princeton is better than Massachusetts on 15 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Princeton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Princeton | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.7%10.5–15.1 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10–13.5 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.3–16.2 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.1%25.9–34.4 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.5%8.1–11 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.1%30.9–37.2 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.1%35.1–41.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.5%26.7–32.3 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.5–13.1 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.9%9.8–12.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5–6.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.4%4.2–6.6 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.4–3.2 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.8%4.6–7 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.9%6.6–11.4 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 17.5%14.2–20.9 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.7%15.5–20.1 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.4%26.7–33.8 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 2.6%2–3.4 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 84%81.9–86.1 | 80.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 78.2%75.8–80.4 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.1%91.8–94.1 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.4%75.6–81 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.5%71.1–77.5 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 86.1%81.8–89.3 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.8%22–27.6 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.8%26.3–33.3 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.4%16.4–22.4 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.5%4.7–8.5 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.1%4.7–7.6 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.4%3.5–5.4 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.6%3.6–5.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.4%5.2–9.9 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.4%20–27 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.1%8.3–12 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.5%8.8–12.4 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.7%5–6.5 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.9%2.4–3.4 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.4%4.5–6.5 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2–3 | 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 Princeton
Is Princeton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Princeton is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns: A for health, #84 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 59%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Princeton?
CDC estimates 30.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.9% and 34.4%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Princeton?
Umass Memorial Healthalliance Hospitals in Leominster, 8.4 miles in a straight line from Princeton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Princeton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 2.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2–3.4%), 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 Princeton 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 Princeton.
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.