Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Charleston is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns
Charleston differs from Maine on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 04422. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Charleston
More Charleston adults lack emotional support
1 in 4 adults lack social or emotional support (26.4%), vs 22.7% across Maine. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 20.3%, vs 17.7% across Maine. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Charleston
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (13.7%), vs 10.7% across Maine. No reliable transportation (10% vs 7.8%) and utility shut-off threats (9.2% vs 7.4%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Charleston
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (18.9%), vs 14.4% across Maine. Habits ↓
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 Charleston’s likely range; Charleston’s figures come from ZIP code 04422, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Charleston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Charleston is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 59% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Charleston’s median household income is $75,250; among the 10,843 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$94K), it’s healthier than 17%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
How Charleston adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Charleston runs above Maine.
1 in 3 Charleston 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.
18.5% of Charleston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
4.3 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Charleston adults…
Charleston runs below ME on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Charleston residents are 65 or older, vs 22% across Maine. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Charleston
No hospital or community health center in Charleston itself. These are the nearest.
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 Charleston; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Charleston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
Charleston and the towns around it
Charleston has the best Health Grade of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | C− | 40% | 11.5% | 18.9% | ZIP 04422 |
| Garland | D | 39.9% | 14% | 18.7% | ZIP 04939 |
| Bradford | C− | 40.3% | 12.6% | 18.9% | ZIP 04410 |
| Corinth | C− | 39.7% | 12% | 18.3% | ZIP 04427 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Charleston adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Charleston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Charleston is better than Maine on 2 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Charleston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Charleston | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.3%19.2–25.6 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.1–18 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.3%18.2–22.7 | 17.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40%35.9–44.6 | 32.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.5%10.1–13 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.9%34.2–39.7 | 35.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.3%33.6–39 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.2%26.9–31.5 | 32% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12.8%11.6–14.3 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8%7.2–8.7 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.4–8.2 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.8%7.4–10.3 | 8.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3–3.9 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.2%14.6–20 | 14.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.9%15.6–22.3 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.2%23.5–31.1 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.9%15.6–20.4 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.3%34.4–42.2 | 32.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.2%7.8–13 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%76.6–81.9 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.2%52.1–58.1 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83%80.4–85.4 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.7%67.7–73.4 | 76.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.2%63.6–70.7 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.2%73–82.6 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.9%25.2–31 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.6%32.1–39.1 | 32% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.4%23.1–29.9 | 22.7% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.7%11.2–16.6 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.8%9.8–14 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.2%7.8–10.7 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10%8.5–11.7 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.5%15.1–22 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.7%30.9–38.7 | 32.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.6%12.6–16.8 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.2%15.8–20.9 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.1–9 | 8.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.3–5.7 | 4.4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.8%7.6–10.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.4–4.6 | 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 Charleston
Is Charleston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Charleston is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 17%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Charleston?
CDC estimates 40% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.9% and 44.6%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Charleston?
Northern Light Mayo Hospital in Dover Foxcroft, 12.6 miles in a straight line from Charleston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Charleston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–13%), 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 Charleston 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 Charleston.
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.