Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Belfast is healthier than 73%
Belfast differs from Maine on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Belfast. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Belfast
Belfast is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Belfast is healthier than 55%. Against the 10,296 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 73%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Belfast
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.1%), vs 9.9% across Maine. 37.2% of adults have arthritis, vs 32% across Maine. Age is part of it: 39% of residents are 65 or older (Maine 22%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Belfast keeps up with checkups
It beats Maine on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.9% vs 81.2%) and dentist visits (68.7% vs 63.8%). 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 Belfast’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Belfast’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Belfast is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns, #76 of 143 in Maine. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 69% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 30%).
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). Belfast’s median household income is $67,679; among the 10,296 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 73%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Keeping up with care
Share of Belfast adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
Out of every 100 Belfast adults…
Belfast runs above ME on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Belfast is an older town: 39% of residents are 65 or older, vs 22% across Maine. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Belfast as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Belfast
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Belfast, 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 Belfast; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
17 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves
How Belfast adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
3 in 10 Belfast 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.
14.1% of Belfast adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Belfast and the towns around it
Belfast’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Belfast adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Belfast
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Belfast is better than Maine on 5 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Belfast’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Belfast | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.9%16.2–23.6 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13–17.8 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.3–19 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.4%28.7–38.1 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.3%10.5–14.2 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.3%35–41.8 | 35.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.4%38.1–44.8 | 37.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.2%34.1–40.4 | 32% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13.2%11.8–14.8 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.1%10.9–13.4 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.6–10.3 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.2%7.2–11.3 | 8.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.5–4.9 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.1%11.1–15.5 | 14.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.7%10.5–17.2 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.3%18.9–27.9 | 23.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13%11–15 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.3%26.5–34.4 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%5.3–9.9 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.9%81.4–86.1 | 81.2% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.7%65.8–71.6 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.6%87.9–91.2 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.8%78.2–83.1 | 76.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.9%69.4–76.3 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.9%75.9–85.5 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.2%24.2–30.5 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30%26.2–34 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21%17.7–24.4 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.8%7.2–12.7 | 10.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.9%6.8–11 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.8%5.4–8.1 | 7.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%5.7–8.6 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.1%10.1–18.1 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.4%29.7–39.1 | 32.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.3%13.1–19.5 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12–17.1 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.9%8.5–11.2 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%3.9–5.8 | 4.4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.1–10.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.1–4.7 | 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 Belfast
Is Belfast a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Belfast is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #76 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 Belfast?
CDC estimates 33.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.7% and 38.1%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Belfast?
Mainehealth Waldo Hospital in Belfast, 2.7 miles in a straight line from Belfast’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Belfast have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–9.9%), 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 Belfast more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Belfast.
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.