Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Rowley is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns
Rowley differs from Massachusetts on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01969. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rowley
Rowley keeps up with checkups
It beats Massachusetts on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (77.9% vs 69.8%) and cholesterol checks (92.2% vs 89.7%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in Rowley
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.5%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. Conditions ↓
Rowley adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (28.8% vs 34.2%), frequent mental distress (14% vs 16.2%) and lack of emotional support (19.6% vs 23.4%) all run below 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 Rowley’s likely range; Rowley’s figures come from ZIP code 01969, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Rowley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rowley is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns, #70 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 96% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 88%.
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). Rowley’s median household income is $132,734; among the 4,274 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($100K–$166K), it’s healthier than 88%, about where its income would put it.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Rowley is healthier than 75% of graded towns, against 95% nationally.
Keeping up with care
Share of Rowley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Rowley adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Rowley does better than Massachusetts.
3 in 10 Rowley 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.
Out of every 100 Rowley adults…
Rowley runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Rowley
No hospital or community health center in Rowley 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 Rowley; ≈ 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.
30 miles of trails across 46 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.
7.5% of Rowley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Rowley and the towns around it
Rowley’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowley | A+ | 27.4% | 8.6% | 9.2% | ZIP 01969 |
| Newbury | A | 28.2% | 9.8% | 9.5% | ZIP codes |
| Ipswich | A | 27.5% | 9.6% | 9.1% | ZIP 01938 |
| Rowley | — | — | — | — | |
| Georgetown | A+ | 27.4% | 8.2% | 9.3% | ZIP 01833 |
| Boxford | A+ | 26.2% | 8.1% | 7.8% | ZIP 01921 |
| Boxford | — | — | — | — |
Rowley and Boxford: 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 Rowley adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rowley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rowley is better than Massachusetts on 14 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Rowley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rowley | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.2%10.1–14.2 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%9.7–12.8 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12–15.8 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.4%23.3–31.4 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.4–9.8 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.3%28.3–34.2 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.6%33.5–39.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.6%24–29.1 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.3–12.8 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.5%9.6–11.5 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5–6.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.4%4.5–6.4 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.9%4.7–7.2 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.2%7.1–11.3 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 17.6%14.6–20.6 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%14.6–19.2 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.4%29.5–37.4 | 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 | 82.7%80.3–84.8 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.9%75.5–80.2 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.2%90.9–93.3 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.4%74.4–80 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.7%72.4–78.8 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 84.9%80.6–88.7 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%20.1–25.6 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.8%25.7–32.1 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.6%17.1–22.5 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.8%5.3–8.5 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.6%5.3–7.9 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.6%3.8–5.4 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.7%4–5.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.5%5.7–9.5 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.1%19.9–26.3 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.8%8.2–11.4 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.9%9.2–12.6 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.8%2.4–3.3 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%4.8–6.6 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.1–2.9 | 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 Rowley
Is Rowley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rowley is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #70 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 88%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rowley?
CDC estimates 27.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.3% and 31.4%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rowley?
Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, 6.4 miles in a straight line from Rowley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Rowley 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 Rowley 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 Rowley.
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.