Photo: Terageorge · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Reading is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns
Reading differs from Massachusetts on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 21 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01867. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Reading
Reading keeps up with checkups
It beats Massachusetts on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (78.3% vs 69.8%) and cholesterol checks (92.7% vs 89.7%). Checkups ↓
Reading is an active town
Only 15.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 21.7% across Massachusetts. The town has 18 miles of trails across 36 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Fewer Reading adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Massachusetts. 1 in 16 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Reading’s likely range; Reading’s figures come from ZIP code 01867, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Reading’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Reading is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns, #32 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 98% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 91%.
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). Reading’s median household income is $165,912; among the 1,846 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($124K–$207K), it’s healthier than 89%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Reading 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.
18 miles of trails across 36 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.1% of Reading adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Out of every 100 Reading adults…
Reading runs below MA on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Reading
No hospital or community health center in Reading 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 Reading; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Reading adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Reading does better than Massachusetts.
1 in 3 Reading 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.
Reading and the towns around it
Reading 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | A+ | 23.3% | 8% | 8.2% | ZIP 01867 |
| Reading | — | — | — | — | |
| North Reading | A+ | 23.9% | 7.9% | 8.8% | ZIP 01864 |
| Wakefield | — | — | — | — | |
| Wakefield | A+ | 24.5% | 8.2% | 9.3% | ZIP 01880 |
| Woburn | A | 25.6% | 9% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Stoneham | — | — | — | — | |
| Stoneham | A+ | 24.2% | 8.5% | 9.3% | ZIP 02180 |
Reading, Wakefield and Stoneham: 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 Reading adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Reading
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Reading is better than Massachusetts on 21 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Reading’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Reading | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.8%10.2–13.5 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.8%8.7–11 | 12.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12.4–15.2 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 23.3%20.3–26.7 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8%7–9.1 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.8%26.5–31.3 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.9%34.2–39.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.9%23.8–28.1 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%10.3–12.5 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.4–11.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.6%3.9–5.3 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.3–2.8 | 3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.7%5.5–8.1 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.2%6.8–9.7 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.9%13.7–18.3 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%15.1–19 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.8%25.7–31.9 | 33.6% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 2.7%2.2–3.3 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.7%79.5–83.7 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 78.3%76.2–80.2 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.7%91.6–93.6 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.4%72.7–78 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.3%71.4–77.1 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.9%80.2–87.4 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.3%22.1–26.9 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.5%28.6–34.6 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.6%16.4–20.9 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.4%5.3–7.6 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.5%5.5–7.6 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4%3.5–4.7 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.8%4.1–5.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.1%5.9–8.6 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.9%20.5–25.5 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.3%8–10.7 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.7%9.4–12.1 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.6%4.9–6.4 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.2%1.9–2.5 | 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 Reading
Is Reading a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Reading is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #32 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 89%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Reading?
CDC estimates 23.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.3% and 26.7%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Reading?
Winchester Hospital in Winchester, 4.9 miles in a straight line from Reading’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Reading have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 2.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.2–3.3%), 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 Reading 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 Reading.
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.