Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Royalston is healthier than 16%
Royalston differs from Massachusetts on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01368. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Royalston
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Royalston
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.1%), vs 5.9% across Massachusetts. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.2%), vs 5.8% across Massachusetts. Stroke is also above the state: 4%, vs 3% across Massachusetts. In all, Royalston runs above Massachusetts on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Royalston trails towns with similar incomes
Royalston is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns, and only 16% of the 8,269 towns with similar household incomes ($77K–$128K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
In Royalston, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 4.6% of working-age adults are uninsured (Massachusetts 5.2%), yet 20.3% say their health is fair or poor, vs 16.3% across the state. Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in Royalston, and more people treating it
39.4% of adults have high blood pressure (Massachusetts 30.9%), but 79.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 75.4% statewide. 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 Royalston’s likely range; Royalston’s figures come from ZIP code 01368, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Royalston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Royalston is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 63% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Royalston’s median household income is $102,109; among the 8,269 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($77K–$128K), it’s healthier than 16%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Royalston adults…
Royalston runs above MA on 11 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Royalston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Care in and near Royalston
No hospital or community health center in Royalston 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 Royalston; ≈ 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.
38 miles of trails across 36 parks and preserves
How Royalston adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Royalston runs above Massachusetts.
1 in 3 Royalston 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.
16.6% of Royalston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Royalston and the towns around it
Royalston’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royalston | C+ | 34.4% | 12.6% | 15.6% | ZIP 01368 |
| Orange | C− | 30.3% | 12.9% | 19.3% | ZIP 01364 |
| Athol | C | 35.1% | 12% | 16.6% | ZIP codes |
| Phillipston | C | 35.2% | 11.9% | 16.7% | ZIP 01331 |
| Winchendon | C+ | 34.9% | 11.1% | 15.4% | ZIP 01475 |
| Templeton | B | 33.3% | 10.4% | 13.8% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Royalston adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Royalston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Royalston is better than Massachusetts on 1 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Royalston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Royalston | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.3%16.8–24 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%13.9–18.6 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%15.6–20 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.4%30.1–39.2 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.6%10.8–14.6 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.4%36.1–42.8 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.1%37.1–43.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33.7%30.8–36.7 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13%11.6–14.4 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.8%9.7–11.9 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7–9.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.1%7.4–11.1 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.4–4.7 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.4%15.1–21.7 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.6%12.3–19.1 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.2%21.9–30.8 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.3%14.2–18.7 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.7%30.8–38.5 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.6%3.3–6 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 83%80.6–85.3 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.6%63.5–69.4 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.8%89.1–92.2 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.1%76.4–81.6 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.8%68.3–74.9 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 84.5%79.8–88.1 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.2%24.4–30.2 | 23.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33.2%29.5–37 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.7%20.4–27.3 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.1%10.1–16.4 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.2%8.1–12.4 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.3%6–8.7 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.3–9.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.6%12.7–20.7 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.4%28.1–36.9 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.6%13–18.6 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.5%13.1–18.1 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.7–8.8 | 6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4–5.7 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.4–10.5 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.4–5 | 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 Royalston
Is Royalston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Royalston is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Royalston?
CDC estimates 34.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.1% and 39.2%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Royalston?
Athol Memorial Hospital in Athol, 7.2 miles in a straight line from Royalston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Royalston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.3–6%), 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 Royalston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Royalston.
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.