Sawyer Homestead · Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Sterling is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Sterling differs from Massachusetts on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01564. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sterling
Massachusetts sets a high bar
Sterling is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, but only 60% of the 279 Massachusetts towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Sterling keeps up with checkups
It beats Massachusetts on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.3% vs 80.9%) and dentist visits (80.3% vs 69.8%). Checkups ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Sterling’s lead shrinks
Sterling is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, but 72% of the 4,658 towns with similar household incomes ($97K–$161K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer runs high in Sterling
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. Conditions ↓
Fewer Sterling adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Massachusetts. 1 in 13 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 Sterling’s likely range; Sterling’s figures come from ZIP code 01564, 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 Sterling’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, #111 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 91% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 79%.
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). Sterling’s median household income is $129,063; among the 4,658 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($97K–$161K), it’s healthier than 72%, about where its income would put it.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Sterling is healthier than 60% of graded towns, against 90% nationally.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sterling adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Out of every 100 Sterling adults…
Sterling runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.6% of Sterling adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Care in and near Sterling
No hospital or community health center in Sterling 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 Sterling; ≈ 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.
26 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
How Sterling adults are doing
About the same as Massachusetts on each measure.
1 in 3 Sterling 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.
Sterling and the towns around it
Sterling’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sterling adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sterling
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sterling is better than Massachusetts on 11 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Sterling’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sterling | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.7%11.1–16.8 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.3–14.3 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%12.9–17.3 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.3%26–34.8 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.4%8–11 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.7%30.6–37 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.3%34.3–40.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.2%26.4–32.2 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12%10.6–13.4 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.7–11.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.1–6.9 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%4.5–7.1 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.5–3.4 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.2%4.1–6.3 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.7%7.3–12.7 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.8%15.3–22.6 | 21.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15.9–20.6 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.7%26.2–33.1 | 33.6% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3%2.2–4.3 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.3%81.1–85.4 | 80.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 80.3%78.1–82.3 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.2%90.8–93.5 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.7%74.8–80.3 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.1%69.5–76.2 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 87.3%83.3–90.3 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.2%22.4–28.4 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.1%27.4–34.8 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.5%17.3–23.7 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.5%5.4–9.9 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.9%5.2–8.7 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.9%3.8–5.9 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.1%4–6.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.6%6–11.4 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.9%21.2–29 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.7%8.7–13.1 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.5%9.5–13.9 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.1–6.9 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.1%2.6–3.8 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6%4.9–7.3 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.1–3.3 | 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 Sterling
Is Sterling a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns: A for health, #111 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 Sterling?
CDC estimates 30.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 26% and 34.8%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sterling?
Umass Memorial Healthalliance Hospitals in Leominster, 6.5 miles in a straight line from Sterling’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sterling have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.2–4.3%), 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 Sterling 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 Sterling.
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.