Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Bangor is healthier than 60%
Bangor differs from Maine on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bangor. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bangor
Bangor is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Bangor is healthier than 38%. Against the 8,891 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 60%. Health Grade ↓
Mental distress runs high in Bangor
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20%), vs 17.7% across Maine. Loneliness is above the state too: 35.3%, vs 32% across Maine. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Bangor
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (12.9%), vs 10.7% across Maine. No reliable transportation (9.6% vs 7.8%) is higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Obesity runs high in Bangor
2 in 5 adults have obesity (37.9%), vs 32.7% across Maine. Conditions ↓
Bangor has a five-star hospital
Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Bangor’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind Bangor’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bangor is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns, #100 of 143 in Maine. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 67% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Bangor’s median household income is $59,942; among the 8,891 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 60%, more than its income alone would suggest.
How Bangor adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Bangor runs above Maine.
1 in 3 Bangor 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 Bangor
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Bangor, 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 Bangor; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
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 Bangor adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Out of every 100 Bangor adults…
Bangor runs below ME on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
53 miles of trails across 33 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Bangor adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
Bangor and the towns around it
Bangor’s Health Grade ranks 5th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor | C+ | 37.9% | 11% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Brewer | C | 39% | 12.1% | 16.2% | CDC place |
| Veazie | — | — | — | — | |
| Veazie · Hermon | B− | 37.4% | 10.6% | 14.7% | ZIP 04401 |
| Orono | B+ | 32.4% | 7% | 11.1% | ZIP codes |
| Hampden | A− | 35.3% | 9.5% | 11.9% | ZIP 04444 |
| Hampden | — | — | — | — |
Veazie and Hampden: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bangor adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bangor
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bangor is better than Maine on 1 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Bangor’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bangor | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.7%18.7–22.9 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.8–16.8 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20%18.2–21.9 | 17.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.9%33.9–42 | 32.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11%9.9–12.2 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.8%33.2–38.3 | 35.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36%33.5–38.6 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.1%28–32.2 | 32% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 13.5%12.3–14.8 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8.2–9.7 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.6–7.9 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.4%7.5–9.3 | 8.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.7 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17%14.4–19.9 | 14.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.3%13.5–17.3 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26%23.3–29 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.1%14.1–18.3 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.9%32.1–39.8 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7.4–10 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.3%79–83.5 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.8%55.8–61.6 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.5%82.7–86.1 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.2%70.8–75.4 | 76.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.3%65.8–72.6 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.8%75.1–84 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.3%26.6–32.1 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.3%32.1–38.6 | 32% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.6%21.1–26.2 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.9%11.2–14.7 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.9%9.5–12.5 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.7%7.6–9.9 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.6%8.5–10.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.9%15.8–20.1 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.1%31.3–37.1 | 32.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.7%13.2–16.2 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%15.7–19.2 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.3–8.9 | 8.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.4–5.3 | 4.4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%8–9.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Bangor
Is Bangor a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bangor is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #100 of 143 in Maine. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bangor?
CDC estimates 37.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.9% and 42%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bangor?
St. Joseph Hospital in Bangor, 1.3 miles in a straight line from Bangor’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bangor have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.4–10%), 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 Bangor 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 Bangor.
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.