Photo: User:Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Chelsea is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns
Chelsea differs from Maine on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 04330. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chelsea
Making ends meet is harder in Chelsea
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (13.5%), vs 10.7% across Maine. Housing insecurity (12.2% vs 9.8%) and utility shut-off threats (9.1% vs 7.4%) are higher too. 18.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Chelsea adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (26.8%), vs 23.1% across Maine. Habits ↓
COPD runs high in Chelsea
1 in 10 adults have COPD (9.9%), vs 8.4% 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 Chelsea’s likely range; Chelsea’s figures come from ZIP code 04330, 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 Chelsea’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chelsea is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns, #109 of 143 in Maine. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 65% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Chelsea’s median household income is $85,471; among the 10,354 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$107K), it’s healthier than 19%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Chelsea compares well: binge drinking, 12.6% (U.S. 15.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.9% of Chelsea 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.
8 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Chelsea adults…
Chelsea runs above ME on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Chelsea
1 hospital in Chelsea, 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 Chelsea; ≈ 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 Chelsea adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How Chelsea adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
3 in 10 Chelsea 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.
Chelsea and the towns around it
Chelsea’s Health Grade ranks 6th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | C | 34.1% | 12.8% | 17.1% | ZIP 04330 |
| Hallowell | B | 31% | 12.5% | 13.2% | CDC place |
| Farmingdale | C+ | 33.3% | 12.7% | 16.1% | ZIP 04344 |
| Farmingdale | — | — | — | — | |
| Pittston | B− | 32.7% | 11.5% | 16.4% | ZIP 04345 |
| Whitefield | B− | 33.5% | 12.2% | 16.1% | ZIP 04353 |
| Augusta | C | 34.4% | 13.2% | 17.5% | CDC place |
| Randolph | — | — | — | — |
Farmingdale and Randolph: 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 Chelsea adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chelsea
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chelsea is better than Maine on 1 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Chelsea’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chelsea | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.2%19.8–24.6 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.2–17.7 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%17–20.9 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.1%29.5–38.6 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11.3–14.5 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.2%33.1–39.2 | 35.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.7%34.6–40.9 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.8%31.1–36.6 | 32% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.7%11.3–14.1 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.4–10 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.4–9.1 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.9%8.9–11 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.7–4.4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.2%15.4–21.5 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.1%15–19.3 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.8%23.5–30.2 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.6%10.7–14.9 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.4%32.3–40.8 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.5–10.3 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81%78.3–83.6 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.8%55.6–62 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.9%84.1–87.5 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.6%73.9–79.3 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%64.5–72.1 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.5%69.9–81 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.5%25.4–31.7 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.6%27.4–34.5 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.6%20.9–26.7 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.5%11.7–15.6 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.2%10.7–13.9 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.1%8.1–10.4 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.3%8.3–10.5 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.9%16.8–21.5 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.9%33.3–40.4 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.2%14.4–18.1 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.6%15.8–19.4 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.4–10.4 | 8.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.6–10.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.8–4.7 | 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 Chelsea
Is Chelsea a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chelsea is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #109 of 143 in Maine. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 19%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chelsea?
CDC estimates 34.1% of adults (the figure for ZIP code 04330, which Chelsea shares with Sidney) have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 38.6%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chelsea?
Maine General Medical Center in Augusta, 6.0 miles in a straight line from Chelsea’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chelsea have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–10.3%), 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 Chelsea more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B. The figures are ZIP code 04330’s, shared with Sidney.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Chelsea.
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.