Photo: Srodegast · Public domainOn CDC estimates, West Tisbury is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns
West Tisbury differs from Massachusetts on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 02575, 02568. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Tisbury
Against towns with similar incomes, West Tisbury’s lead shrinks
West Tisbury is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns, but 58% of the 1,284 towns with similar household incomes ($137K–$228K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in West Tisbury
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.4%), vs 8.5% across Massachusetts. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.3%), vs 25.4% across Massachusetts. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Massachusetts 18%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
West Tisbury is an active town
Only 15.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 21.7% across Massachusetts. The town has 70 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
West Tisbury keeps up with checkups
It beats Massachusetts on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (75.7% vs 69.8%) and cholesterol checks (92.6% vs 89.7%). 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 West Tisbury’s likely range; West Tisbury’s figures come from ZIP codes 02575, 02568, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind West Tisbury’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Tisbury is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns, #63 of 279 in Massachusetts. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 97% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 88%.
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 Tisbury’s median household income is $182,750; among the 1,284 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($137K–$228K), it’s healthier than 58%, about where its income would put it.
Most Massachusetts towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state West Tisbury is healthier than 77% of graded towns, against 96% nationally.
Out of every 100 West Tisbury adults…
West Tisbury runs below MA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
West Tisbury is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Massachusetts. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in West Tisbury as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
70 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of West Tisbury adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
Care in and near West Tisbury
No hospital or community health center in West Tisbury 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 Tisbury; ≈ 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).
How West Tisbury adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, West Tisbury does better than Massachusetts.
3 in 10 West Tisbury 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.
7.8% of West Tisbury adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
West Tisbury and the towns around it
West Tisbury has the best Health Grade of the 4 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 Tisbury | A+ | 24.5% | 9.2% | 8.8% | ZIP codes |
| Chilmark | A | 24% | 10.2% | 8.2% | ZIP 02535 |
| Edgartown | A− | 25.5% | 10% | 12.2% | ZIP 02539 |
| Tisbury | A− | 26.4% | 10.3% | 12.3% | ZIP 02568 |
| Gosnold | — | — | — | — |
Gosnold: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of West Tisbury adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Tisbury
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Tisbury is better than Massachusetts on 14 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside West Tisbury’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Tisbury | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.6%10.6–15.2 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%9.8–13.2 | 12.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.5–16.3 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.5%18.5–31.5 | 27.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.2%7.8–10.9 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.1%29.1–37.5 | 30.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%32.1–40.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.3%25.9–33 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.3–13.1 | 11.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.4%10.3–12.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.4–7.1 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.5%4.6–6.8 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.6–3.4 | 3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.9%5.4–8.7 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.8%7–11.1 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.5%12.5–19.4 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.3%13.4–19.5 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5%26.3–39.4 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3%2.3–3.9 | 5.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.3%80.1–86.1 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.7%72.6–78.7 | 69.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.6%91.3–93.8 | 89.7% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.4%75.2–81.4 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 77.7%73.7–81.6 | 68.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.3%76.9–88.5 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%20.3–27.9 | 23.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.1%24–34.1 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.1%15.8–22.5 | 23.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.6%5.1–8.2 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.8%5.5–8.2 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.8%3.9–5.6 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5%4.2–5.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.8%5.9–9.8 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.1%20.5–28.4 | 27.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.3%8.6–12.5 | 11.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.8%9.3–12.5 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.5–7.3 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.6–3.5 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%4.8–6.7 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.2–3 | 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 Tisbury
Is West Tisbury a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Tisbury is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #63 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 58%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in West Tisbury?
CDC estimates 24.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.5% and 31.5%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Tisbury?
Martha's Vineyard Hospital in Oak Bluffs, 6.0 miles in a straight line from West Tisbury’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in West Tisbury have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.3–3.9%), 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 Tisbury 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 Tisbury.
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.