Photo: Bob Burkhardt · CC BY 3.0Within Massachusetts, Shirley is healthier than 52% of graded towns
Shirley differs from Massachusetts on 2 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 01464, 01434. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shirley
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Shirley is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, but only 52% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Shirley’s lead shrinks
Shirley is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, but 72% of the 5,399 towns with similar household incomes ($92K–$153K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
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 Shirley’s likely range; Shirley’s figures come from ZIP codes 01464, 01434, 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 Shirley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shirley is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, #134 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 91% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 71%.
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). Shirley’s median household income is $122,365; among the 5,399 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($92K–$153K), it’s healthier than 72%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Shirley adults…
Shirley runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Shirley
No hospital or community health center in Shirley 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 Shirley; ≈ 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.
27 miles of trails across 38 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Shirley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Shirley adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
1 in 3 Shirley 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.
12% of Shirley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Shirley and the towns around it
Shirley’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shirley | A | 27.3% | 9% | 11.8% | ZIP codes |
| Groton | A+ | 24.2% | 8.2% | 8.8% | ZIP 01450 |
| Ayer | A− | 26.7% | 9.4% | 12% | ZIP codes |
| Devens | — | — | — | — | |
| Harvard | A | 29.7% | 9.7% | 9.2% | ZIP codes |
| Lunenburg | A− | 31.4% | 9.7% | 11.3% | ZIP 01462 |
Devens: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Shirley adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shirley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shirley is better than Massachusetts on 1 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Shirley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shirley | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.4%13.2–17.6 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%9.9–12.8 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%14.1–17.7 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.3%23.8–31.2 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9%7.9–10.4 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.9%27.5–32.7 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.5%32.9–38.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.2%22.2–26.5 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%10.3–12.6 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.1%7.4–8.8 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.7–6 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.4%4.5–6.3 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.2%6.7–9.8 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.8%9.7–14.1 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.7%16.8–22.7 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.5%16.5–20.8 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.4%30.1–36.8 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.5%4.1–6.8 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%76.4–81.2 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.9%68.4–73.2 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.2%88.7–91.6 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.7%68.7–74.4 | 75.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.9%67.7–73.8 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.1%78.8–86.7 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%21.6–26.4 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.5%31–37.9 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.7%20.9–26.7 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.9%8.9–13 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.9%9.1–12.7 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.5–7.5 | 7% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.3%6.2–8.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12%9.8–14.5 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.2%23.1–29.4 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.4%8.9–12.1 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.9–15.4 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–4.1 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%5.9–7.7 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.5–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Shirley
Is Shirley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shirley is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns: A for health, #134 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 72%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shirley?
CDC estimates 27.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.8% and 31.2%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shirley?
Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer, 3.8 miles in a straight line from Shirley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Shirley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.1–6.8%), 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 Shirley 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 Shirley.
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.