Old Centre Historic District · Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0Within Massachusetts, Winchendon is healthier than 8% of graded towns
Winchendon trails Massachusetts on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 01475. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Winchendon
COPD, obesity and depression run high in Winchendon
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.9%), vs 5.9% across Massachusetts. 1 in 3 adults have obesity (34.9%), vs 27.7% across Massachusetts. Depression is also above the state: 28.4%, vs 23.8% across Massachusetts. In all, Winchendon runs above Massachusetts on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Winchendon
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.4%), vs 11.3% across Massachusetts. Habits ↓
More Winchendon adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (25.6%), vs 21.7% across Massachusetts. There are 72 miles of trails across 27 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. 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 Winchendon’s likely range; Winchendon’s figures come from ZIP code 01475, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Winchendon’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Winchendon is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, #258 of 279 in Massachusetts. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 65% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Winchendon’s median household income is $75,690; among the 10,846 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$95K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Winchendon adults…
Winchendon runs above MA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Massachusetts
Share of adults, with the Massachusetts figure marked.
72 miles of trails across 27 parks and preserves
Care in and near Winchendon
No hospital or community health center in Winchendon 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 Winchendon; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Winchendon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Winchendon adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Winchendon runs above Massachusetts.
1 in 3 Winchendon 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.
17.9% of Winchendon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Winchendon and the towns around it
Winchendon’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchendon | C+ | 34.9% | 11.1% | 15.4% | ZIP 01475 |
| Gardner | C | 35.8% | 12.1% | 16.5% | CDC place |
| Templeton | B | 33.3% | 10.4% | 13.8% | ZIP codes |
| Royalston | C+ | 34.4% | 12.6% | 15.6% | ZIP 01368 |
| Ashburnham | B+ | 32.7% | 10.1% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Winchendon adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Winchendon
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Winchendon is better than Massachusetts on 0 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Massachusetts figure falls inside Winchendon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Winchendon | MA | U.S. | vs MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.4%17.1–21.8 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.6–17 | 12.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.4–21.4 | 16.2% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.9%30.6–39.3 | 27.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.8–12.6 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.2%32.4–38 | 30.9% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%33.3–39.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.5%27.1–32 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13.1%11.8–14.5 | 11.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8.1–9.7 | 8.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6.1–7.5 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.9%6.9–9 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.8 | 3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.9%12–17.6 | 11.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%13.2–17.8 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.6%22.4–28.9 | 21.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.2%16–20.7 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.3%31.4–38.9 | 33.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5%4.1–5.9 | 5.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81%78.6–83.3 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.6%64.6–70.2 | 69.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.6%87.2–90.1 | 89.7% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.6%72.9–78.2 | 75.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.6%63.7–70.9 | 68.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.5%77.1–86.5 | 83.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.4%25.5–31.4 | 23.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 34.9%31.6–38.4 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.6%21.7–27.5 | 23.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.2%12.1–16.4 | 12.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.7%10.1–13.4 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.3–9.6 | 7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.5%7.5–9.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.9%15.4–20.8 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.4%28.2–34.7 | 27.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.9%12.2–15.7 | 11.6% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.5%14.7–18.5 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.4 | 6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4.2–5.2 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.8–9.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.4–4.3 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Winchendon
Is Winchendon a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Winchendon is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #258 of 279 in Massachusetts. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 46%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Winchendon?
CDC estimates 34.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.6% and 39.3%, against 27.7% across Massachusetts and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Winchendon?
Heywood Hospital in Gardner, 6.6 miles in a straight line from Winchendon’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Winchendon have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.1–5.9%), 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 Winchendon more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Winchendon.
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.