On CDC estimates, Ashland is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Ashland differs from Maine on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 04732. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ashland
More Ashland adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (34.4%), vs 23.1% across Maine. There are 45 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
COPD, diabetes and stroke run high in Ashland
1 in 8 adults have COPD (12.7%), vs 8.4% across Maine. 1 in 6 adults have diabetes (16.2%), vs 11.2% across Maine. Stroke is also above the state: 5%, vs 3.6% across Maine. In all, Ashland runs above Maine on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 32% of residents are 65 or older (Maine 22%), and COPD, diabetes and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Ashland is in the bottom 6% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Ashland is healthier than only 6% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Ashland, and more people treating it
45.6% of adults have high blood pressure (Maine 35.7%), but 79.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.4% statewide. 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 Maine figure falls outside Ashland’s likely range; Ashland’s figures come from ZIP code 04732, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Ashland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ashland is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 17% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Ashland’s median household income is $46,838; among the 4,596 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($35K–$59K), it’s healthier than 18%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Ashland compares well: binge drinking, 12.6% (U.S. 15.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.6% (U.S. 76.5%).
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
45 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Ashland adults…
Ashland runs above ME on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Ashland is an older town: 32% of residents are 65 or older, vs 22% across Maine. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Ashland as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ashland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
Care in and near Ashland
1 community health center in Ashland, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Ashland; ≈ 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 Ashland adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
1 in 3 Ashland 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.
23.2% of Ashland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Ashland and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland | D | 42% | 16.2% | 20.7% | ZIP 04732 |
| Castle Hill | — | — | — | — | |
| Garfield plantation | — | — | — | — | |
| Masardis | — | — | — | — | |
| Nashville plantation | — | — | — | — |
Castle Hill, Garfield plantation, Masardis and Nashville plantation: 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 Ashland adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ashland
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ashland is better than Maine on 2 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Ashland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ashland | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.3%23.2–29.8 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19%17–21.4 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.1%17–21.3 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42%37.3–47 | 32.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16.2%14.3–18.3 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.6%42.3–49 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.6%39.2–45.9 | 37.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.8%35.8–41.9 | 32% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13.8%12.3–15.3 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.6–11.7 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.4%9.4–11.7 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.7%11.1–14.6 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.5–5.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.7%15.8–21.9 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.7%17.8–24.1 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.4%30.3–39 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.6%10.7–14.9 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.9%33.6–42.3 | 32.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.7%7.7–12.2 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.6%80.1–85.1 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.4%50.9–57.7 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.8%84.9–88.6 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.6%77–82.1 | 76.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.2%65.3–72.9 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.1%72.5–83.2 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.3%23.3–29.4 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.8%30.1–37.8 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.6%22.4–29.1 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.3%12.7–18.1 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.5%10.5–14.7 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.9%8.5–11.5 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.6%8.3–11 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 23.2%19.7–27 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.8%37–45.1 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.8%18.4–23.6 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.3%16.1–20.7 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.1%10–12.4 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.6–7.2 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.8%9.5–12.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 3.5% | 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 Ashland
Is Ashland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ashland is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 18%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ashland?
CDC estimates 42% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.3% and 47%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ashland?
Northern Light A R Gould Hospital in Presque Isle, 19.0 miles in a straight line from Ashland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ashland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–12.2%), 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 Ashland 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 Ashland.
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.