Photo: RedSoxFan274 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Wakefield is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns
Wakefield differs from Massachusetts on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 19 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01880. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wakefield
Wakefield keeps up with checkups
It beats Massachusetts on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (76.4% vs 69.8%) and cholesterol checks (92% vs 89.7%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Wakefield 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 ↓
Wakefield is an active town
Only 17.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 21.7% across Massachusetts. The town has 11 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
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 Wakefield’s likely range; Wakefield’s figures come from ZIP code 01880, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Wakefield’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wakefield is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns, #61 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 96% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 83%.
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). Wakefield’s median household income is $134,306; among the 4,114 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($101K–$168K), it’s healthier than 90%, about where its income would put it.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Wakefield is healthier than 78% of graded towns, against 96% nationally.
Keeping up with care
Share of Wakefield adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.8% of Wakefield adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
11 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Wakefield adults…
Wakefield runs below MA on 5 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Wakefield
No hospital or community health center in Wakefield 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 Wakefield; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Wakefield adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Wakefield does better than Massachusetts.
1 in 3 Wakefield 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.
Wakefield and the towns around it
Wakefield’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
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefield | A+ | 24.5% | 8.2% | 9.3% | ZIP 01880 |
| Wakefield | — | — | — | — | |
| Lynnfield | — | — | — | — | |
| Lynnfield | A+ | 26.3% | 8.7% | 8.6% | ZIP 01940 |
| Saugus | — | — | — | — | |
| Saugus | B+ | 29.5% | 10.2% | 12.6% | ZIP 01906 |
| Reading | — | — | — | — | |
| Reading | A+ | 23.3% | 8% | 8.2% | ZIP 01867 |
Wakefield, Lynnfield, Saugus and Reading: 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 Wakefield adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wakefield
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wakefield is better than Massachusetts on 19 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Wakefield’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wakefield | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.8%11.2–14.4 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.4%9.2–11.6 | 12.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13.3–16.3 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.5%21.2–27.8 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.8%26.5–31.2 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.3%33.7–39.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.7%23.6–27.8 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.5–12.8 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.8–10.4 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.6–5.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.9%4.3–5.6 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.9 | 3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.2%5.1–7.6 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.3%7.9–10.8 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.1%14.8–19.5 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.2%15.2–19.3 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.9%26.8–33.1 | 33.6% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.2%2.6–3.8 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.9%78.6–83.2 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 76.4%74.2–78.4 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92%90.8–93 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.6%71.8–77.3 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.9%72.2–77.6 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 84.7%81.1–88 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%22.9–27.7 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.5%29.5–35.7 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.5%17.3–22 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.6%6.4–9 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.6%6.6–8.9 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.7%4.1–5.5 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.5%4.8–6.3 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.8%7.4–10.6 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.1%21.5–26.6 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.8%8.5–11 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.8%10.5–13.2 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.7–3.4 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.1%5.4–6.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.1–2.7 | 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 Wakefield
Is Wakefield a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wakefield is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #61 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wakefield?
CDC estimates 24.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.2% and 27.8%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wakefield?
Melrosewakefield Healthcare in Melrose, 3.0 miles in a straight line from Wakefield’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wakefield have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.6–3.8%), 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 Wakefield 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 Wakefield.
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.