Photo: P199 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Brewer is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns
Brewer trails Maine on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Brewer. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brewer
Every town around Brewer scores healthier
All six graded neighbors are ahead of Brewer’s C, from Bangor (C+) to Hampden (A−). Around town ↓
More Brewer adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (27.3%), vs 23.1% across Maine. There are 12 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Obesity runs high in Brewer
2 in 5 adults have obesity (39%), vs 32.7% across Maine. Conditions ↓
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 Brewer’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Brewer’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brewer is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns, #118 of 143 in Maine. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 49% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Brewer’s median household income is $66,613; among the 10,157 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 32%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Brewer and the towns around it
Brewer’s Health Grade ranks 7th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brewer | C | 39% | 12.1% | 16.2% | CDC place |
| Bangor | C+ | 37.9% | 11% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Hampden | A− | 35.3% | 9.5% | 11.9% | ZIP 04444 |
| Hampden | — | — | — | — | |
| Orrington | B+ | 35.8% | 10.2% | 12.4% | ZIP 04474 |
| Veazie | — | — | — | — | |
| Veazie | B− | 37.4% | 10.6% | 14.7% | ZIP 04401 |
| Holden | B+ | 34.2% | 10.8% | 13.3% | ZIP 04429 |
Hampden and Veazie: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
12 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Brewer adults…
Brewer runs above ME on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Brewer
1 community health center in Brewer, 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 Brewer; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Brewer adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How Brewer adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
1 in 3 Brewer 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.
18.1% of Brewer adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Brewer adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brewer
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brewer is better than Maine on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Brewer’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brewer | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.8%19.2–24.5 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.5–18 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%17.6–21.5 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39%34.7–43.2 | 32.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.7–13.6 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.6%35.8–41.4 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.1%35.5–40.8 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.3%30.9–35.8 | 32% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 13.6%12.3–15 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9.2–10.9 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.2–9.1 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.2%8–10.5 | 8.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.4–4.3 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.8%12.5–17.3 | 14.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.2%13.8–18.7 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.3%23.8–30.8 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%13.2–17.3 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.1%32.3–40 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7.2–10.4 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.5%80.2–84.6 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.4%55.3–61.3 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%84.5–87.7 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.3%72.7–77.7 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.4%65.9–72.7 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%75.6–84.5 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.1%26.3–31.8 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.2%31–37.6 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.1%20.4–25.9 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.7%10.7–14.8 | 10.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%9.1–12.5 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.7%7.5–10 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.3%8.1–10.5 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.1%15.4–21 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.5%32.2–38.9 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.3%14.3–18.4 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.1%15.2–19.2 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%8–10 | 8.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.5–5.8 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%8.1–10.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.5–4.6 | 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 Brewer
Is Brewer a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brewer is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #118 of 143 in Maine. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 32%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brewer?
CDC estimates 39% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.7% and 43.2%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brewer?
Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, 1.9 miles in a straight line from Brewer’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Brewer have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–10.4%), 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 Brewer more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Brewer.
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.