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January 16 2010 anson maine 477Photo: Cinclemflt · CC BY-SA 3.0
C−Health Grade
Health in Anson · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Anson is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns

Anson trails Maine on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 04911, 04958. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Anson

Making ends meet is harder in Anson

1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (14.3%), vs 10.7% across Maine. Utility shut-off threats (9.8% vs 7.4%) and housing insecurity (12.2% vs 9.8%) are higher too. 20.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓

Dental care lags in Anson

55.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.8% across Maine. Among those 65 and older, 21.6% have lost all their teeth (Maine 14.8%). Checkups ↓

COPD, diabetes and stroke run high in Anson

1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.6%), vs 8.4% across Maine. 1 in 7 adults have diabetes (14.2%), vs 11.2% across Maine. Stroke is also above the state: 4.5%, vs 3.6% across Maine. In all, Anson runs above Maine on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Anson is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Anson is healthier than 17%. Against the 6,628 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$66K), it’s healthier than 35%. Health Grade ↓

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 Maine figure falls outside Anson’s likely range; Anson’s figures come from ZIP codes 04911, 04958, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.

Health Grade

What’s behind Anson’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Anson is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 44% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 8%).

C−Self-rated health23.8% · ME 18.7% · U.S. 19.4%
DPhysical distress17.5% · ME 14.3% · U.S. 13%
C−Mental distress19.3% · ME 17.7% · U.S. 15.9%
C+Obesity37% · ME 32.7% · U.S. 32.9%
C−Diabetes14.2% · ME 11.2% · U.S. 12%
DSmoking20.3% smoke · ME 14.4% · U.S. 11.8%
CExercise28.2% · ME 23.1% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 16%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $39K–$66K (6,628)Healthier than 35%

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). Anson’s median household income is $52,474; among the 6,628 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$66K), it’s healthier than 35%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Anson could be anywhere from D− to C+. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 04911,04958), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 7
Anson adults worry about having enough food
14.3% · ME 10.7%
Worse than ME
1 in 8
Anson adults worry about keeping their housing
12.2% · ME 9.8%
Worse than ME
1 in 10
Anson adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.8% · ME 7.4%
Worse than ME
1 in 11
Anson adults lack reliable transportation
9.5% · ME 7.8%
Worse than ME

20.3% of Anson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Anson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.

83%Yearly checkupME 81%
55%Dentist visitME 64%
87%Cholesterol checkME 87%
69%Colon screeningME 71%
76%MammogramME 80%
77%Taking BP medsME 76%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Anson 9.5% · Maine 1 in 13 (7.8%)
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Anson adults…

Anson runs above ME on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

12 of every 100 Anson adults have COPD
Maine: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 10.2–13.1%
Better than MEWorseAbout the sameMaine
Getting care

Care in and near Anson

No hospital or community health center in Anson itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERRedington Fairview General HospitalSkowhegan · 13.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMainehealth Franklin Hospital★★★★★ · 17.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careHealth Reach Community Health CentersMadison · 5.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5.5 mi
Health Reach Community Health Centers
8 sites · nearest in Madison
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
13.4 mi
Redington Fairview General Hospital
Skowhegan · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
17.4 mi
Mainehealth Franklin Hospital
Farmington · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
29.3 mi
Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital
Pittsfield · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
35 mi
Rumford Hospital
Rumford · not rated
ERRural critical access
! Primary careAnson is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Skowhegan · need score 13 of 25
! Dental careAnson is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Skowhegan · need score 18 of 25
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Anson itself

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 Anson; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Maine

Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.

Get no exercise 28.2%ME 23.1%
Sleep under 7 hours 38.6%ME 32.8%
Binge drink 13.7%ME 15.5%
Smoke cigarettes 20.3%ME 14.4%
0%10%20%30%40%
Anson, betterAnson, worseAbout the sameMaine
Where Anson gets moving

20 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Anson adults are doing

About the same as Maine on each measure.

1 in 3Anson adults feel lonely
34.2% · ME 32% · About the same as ME
1 in 4Anson adults lack social or emotional support
24.4% · ME 22.7% · About the same as ME
3 in 10Anson adults have been diagnosed with depression
28.2% · ME 26.9% · About the same as ME
1 in 5Anson adults are in frequent mental distress
19.3% · ME 17.7% · About the same as ME
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Anson adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Anson and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Madison: 37.8%Embden: 37.1%New Portland: 36.3%Industry: 34.2%New Vineyard: 35.8%Starks: 37%Norridgewock: 39.1%Solon: 34.4%Skowhegan: 37.1%Cornville: 37.1%Kingfield: 33.2%New Sharon: 36.7%Farmington: 34.2%Strong: 34.9%Mercer: 39.1%Anson: 37%AnsonMadisonEmbdenNew PortlandIndustryNew VineyardStarksRedington Fairview General Hospital · Skowhegan · 13.4 mi · 2★ MedicareHMainehealth Franklin Hospital · Farmington · 17.4 mi · 3★ MedicareHMadison Area Health Center · Madison · 5.5 mi+
Healthier than MENear MELess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#9 of 16 towns on this map, healthiest first
Industry34.2%
New Vineyard35.8%
New Portland36.3%
Anson37%
Starks37%
Embden37.1%
Madison37.8%
ME32.7%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
AnsonC−37%14.2%20.3%ZIP codes
MadisonD37.8%13.9%20.4%ZIP 04950
Madison————
Anson————
Embden————
New Portland————
Industry————
Starks————

Madison: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Anson, Embden, New Portland, Industry and Starks: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

37.9%

of Anson adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs18%
Thinking or memory18%
Hearing10%
Errands alone10.2%
Vision5.9%
Dressing or bathing4.9%
Maine

Every CDC estimate for Anson

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Anson is better than Maine on 0 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Anson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…AnsonMEU.S.vs ME
Overall health
Fair or poor health23.8%21–26.818.7%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)17.5%15.6–19.514.3%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)19.3%17.4–21.517.7%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity37%32.5–41.932.7%32.9%About the same
Diabetes14.2%12.5–1611.2%12%Worse
High blood pressure40%36.8–43.335.7%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)42%38.7–45.337.4%37.1%Worse
Arthritis36.4%33.5–39.432%25.3%Worse
Asthma13.6%12.2–15.112.6%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer10%9.1–119.9%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease9.4%8.5–10.57.6%6.4%Worse
COPD11.6%10.2–13.18.4%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.5%4.1–53.6%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)21.6%18.4–25.114.8%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes20.3%17.6–23.114.4%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work28.2%24.6–3223.1%24.7%Worse
Binge drinking13.7%11.6–16.115.5%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours38.6%34.5–43.132.8%36%Worse
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)9.5%7.8–11.47.8%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year83%80.4–85.381.2%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year55.3%52–58.663.8%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years87%85.3–88.687.1%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)76.7%73.7–79.476.4%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)68.6%64.9–72.270.5%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)76.1%70.5–81.180.3%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression28.2%25.1–31.626.9%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely34.2%30.7–38.132%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support24.4%21.5–27.622.7%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food14.3%12.1–16.710.7%15%Worse
Worried about keeping housing12.2%10.5–149.8%12%Worse
Threatened with a utility shut-off9.8%8.5–11.27.4%7.6%Worse
Lack reliable transportation9.5%8.3–10.77.8%7.9%Worse
Received SNAP (food stamps)20.3%17.4–23.414.3%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability37.9%34.1–41.632.1%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs18%15.8–20.314%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering18%16–20.115.5%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty10%8.9–11.18.4%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty5.9%5.2–6.54.4%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone10.2%9–11.58.1%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing4.9%4.3–5.53.5%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 Maine figure falls inside that range.

Questions about health in Anson

Is Anson a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Anson is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 35%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Anson?

CDC estimates 37% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.5% and 41.9%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Anson?

Redington Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan, 13.4 miles in a straight line from Anson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

How many people in Anson have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 9.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–11.4%), against 7.8% across Maine.

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 Anson more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Anson.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Maine 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.