Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Damariscotta is healthier than 88%
Damariscotta differs from Maine on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 04543. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Damariscotta
Damariscotta is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Damariscotta is healthier than 62%. Against the 8,760 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$74K), it’s healthier than 88%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Damariscotta
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13.1%), vs 9.9% across Maine. 2 in 5 adults have arthritis (39.8%), vs 32% across Maine. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.3%, vs 7.6% across Maine. In all, Damariscotta runs above Maine on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Maine 22%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Damariscotta, and more people treating it
40.9% of adults have high blood pressure (Maine 35.7%), but 81.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Damariscotta keeps up with checkups
It beats Maine on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.5% vs 81.2%) and cholesterol checks (89.4% vs 87.1%). 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 Damariscotta’s likely range; Damariscotta’s figures come from ZIP code 04543, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Damariscotta’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Damariscotta is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 81% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 38%).
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). Damariscotta’s median household income is $59,423; among the 8,760 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$74K), it’s healthier than 88%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Damariscotta adults…
Damariscotta runs above ME on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Damariscotta is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 22% across Maine. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Damariscotta as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Damariscotta adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
Care in and near Damariscotta
1 hospital in Damariscotta, 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 Damariscotta; ≈ 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.
7 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
How Damariscotta adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
3 in 10 Damariscotta 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.
12.4% of Damariscotta adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Damariscotta and the towns around it
Damariscotta’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damariscotta | B | 30.8% | 12.7% | 12.6% | ZIP 04543 |
| Newcastle | B+ | 30.6% | 11.7% | 12.1% | ZIP 04553 |
| Newcastle | — | — | — | — | |
| Bremen | — | — | — | — | |
| Damariscotta | — | — | — | — | |
| Nobleboro | B | 32.1% | 12.3% | 13.7% | ZIP 04555 |
| Bristol | A− | 29.4% | 11.7% | 10.4% | ZIP codes |
| Waldoboro | B+ | 31.1% | 10.4% | 13.2% | ZIP 04572 |
Newcastle and Bremen: fewer than 1,000 residents. Damariscotta: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Damariscotta adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Damariscotta
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Damariscotta is better than Maine on 9 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Damariscotta’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Damariscotta | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.1%16–22.4 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%12.8–17.2 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.2–18.3 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.8%26.2–35.7 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.7%10.9–14.7 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.9%37.4–44.7 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.3%38.7–45.7 | 37.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 39.8%36.5–43.1 | 32% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.3%11–13.8 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.1%11.9–14.3 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.3%8.1–10.6 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.5%7.8–11.2 | 8.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.8–5.1 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.3%10.2–14.9 | 14.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.6%10.4–15.2 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23%18.8–27.4 | 23.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.1%10.1–14.2 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.1%24.3–32.2 | 32.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%5.7–9 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.5%82–86.7 | 81.2% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.6%62.5–68.5 | 63.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.4%87.8–90.8 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.4%78.8–83.8 | 76.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.2%70.6–77.5 | 70.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.1%71.1–82.4 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.5%23.5–29.8 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.7%26.1–33.6 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.1%18.2–24.3 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9%7.2–10.9 | 10.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8%6.6–9.5 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.2%5.1–7.2 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%5.6–7.6 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.4%9.9–15 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.3%30–38.8 | 32.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%14–19.7 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%12.1–16.3 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.4%9–11.8 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.1–5.7 | 4.4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7–9.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.2–4.4 | 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 Damariscotta
Is Damariscotta a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Damariscotta is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Damariscotta?
CDC estimates 30.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.2% and 35.7%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Damariscotta?
Lincolnhealth in Damariscotta, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Damariscotta’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Damariscotta have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.7–9%), 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 Damariscotta 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 Damariscotta.
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.