Photo: Riverbend Trail · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, West Newbury is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns
West Newbury differs from Massachusetts on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01985. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Newbury
Against towns with similar incomes, West Newbury’s lead shrinks
West Newbury is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns, but 66% of the 1,375 towns with similar household incomes ($135K–$224K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
West Newbury keeps up with checkups
It beats Massachusetts on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.7% vs 80.9%) and dentist visits (77.6% vs 69.8%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in West Newbury
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.1%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. Conditions ↓
West Newbury adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (27.6% vs 34.2%), frequent mental distress (13.1% vs 16.2%) and lack of emotional support (18.4% 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 West Newbury’s likely range; West Newbury’s figures come from ZIP code 01985, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind West Newbury’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Newbury is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns, #56 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 97% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 89%.
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). West Newbury’s median household income is $179,500; among the 1,375 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($135K–$224K), it’s healthier than 66%, about where its income would put it.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state West Newbury is healthier than 80% of graded towns, against 96% nationally.
Keeping up with care
Share of West Newbury adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Out of every 100 West Newbury adults…
West Newbury runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
How West Newbury adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, West Newbury does better than Massachusetts.
3 in 10 West Newbury 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.
Care in and near West Newbury
No hospital or community health center in West Newbury 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 West Newbury; ≈ 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.
25 miles of trails across 27 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.
6.8% of West Newbury adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
West Newbury and the towns around it
West Newbury’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Newbury | A+ | 27.1% | 8.8% | 8.4% | ZIP 01985 |
| Newburyport | A+ | 26.8% | 8.9% | 8% | CDC place |
| Newbury | A | 28.2% | 9.8% | 9.5% | ZIP codes |
| Haverhill | B | 31.9% | 10.4% | 13.6% | CDC place |
| Merrimac | A− | 29.3% | 9.6% | 11.7% | ZIP 01860 |
| Amesbury | — | — | — | — | |
| Groveland | A | 27.6% | 8.7% | 9.9% | ZIP 01834 |
Amesbury: no CDC estimate of its own. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of West Newbury adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Newbury
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Newbury is better than Massachusetts on 16 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside West Newbury’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Newbury | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.8%9.6–14.7 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.1%9.3–13.1 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.3–15.1 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.1%23.1–31.4 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.8%7.5–10.3 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.9%28.8–35.1 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.6%34.4–40.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.3%24.6–30.3 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.3–12.9 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.1%10–12.1 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5–6.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.3%4.1–6.8 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.3–3.2 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.4%5.2–7.8 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.4%6–11 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.9%13.7–20.5 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.9–18.3 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.1%29.4–37.1 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 2.5%1.8–3.4 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.7%81.3–85.7 | 80.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.6%75.3–79.9 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93%91.7–94.1 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.4%75.3–81 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 77%73.8–80 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 86.3%82.1–89.8 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.4%19.7–25.1 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.6%24.2–31 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.4%15.5–21.4 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.3%4.4–8.5 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6%4.6–7.7 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.2%3.3–5.3 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.4%3.5–5.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.8%4.6–9.5 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.4%18.9–26.2 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.7%7.8–12 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.2%8.3–12.2 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.8%5.1–6.7 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.8%2.3–3.4 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.4%4.3–6.6 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%1.9–3 | 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 West Newbury
Is West Newbury a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Newbury is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #56 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 66%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in West Newbury?
CDC estimates 27.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.1% and 31.4%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Newbury?
Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, 3.9 miles in a straight line from West Newbury’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in West Newbury have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 2.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 1.8–3.4%), 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 West Newbury 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 West Newbury.
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.