Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fort Kent is healthier than 63%
Fort Kent differs from Maine on 4 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 04743. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Kent
More Fort Kent adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (28.7%), vs 23.1% across Maine. There are 90 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Fort Kent is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fort Kent is healthier than 36%. Against the 7,809 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 63%. Health Grade ↓
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 Fort Kent’s likely range; Fort Kent’s figures come from ZIP code 04743, 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 Fort Kent’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Kent is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns, #102 of 143 in Maine. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 45% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 29%).
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). Fort Kent’s median household income is $56,270; among the 7,809 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 63%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
90 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Fort Kent adults…
Fort Kent runs below ME on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Fort Kent
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Fort Kent, 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 Fort Kent; ≈ 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 Fort Kent adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How Fort Kent adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
1 in 3 Fort Kent 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.
16% of Fort Kent adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Fort Kent and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Kent | C+ | 37.3% | 12.6% | 15.3% | ZIP 04743 |
| Frenchville | D | 39.5% | 15% | 18.4% | ZIP 04745 |
| Fort Kent | — | — | — | — | |
| Wallagrass | — | — | — | — | |
| New Canada | — | — | — | — |
Fort Kent: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Wallagrass and New Canada: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fort Kent adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Kent
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Kent is better than Maine on 1 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Fort Kent’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Kent | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.6%17.9–23.5 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.6–17.4 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.7–19.5 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.3%32.8–41.8 | 32.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.6%11.1–14.3 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.8%36.7–42.8 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.4%36.4–42.6 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.5%30.8–36.2 | 32% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.9%11.6–14.3 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9.1–11 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.3–9.3 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.1%7.8–10.6 | 8.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.8–13.8 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.3%12.9–17.9 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.7%25–32.5 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11.5–16 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.2%31.1–39.6 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%6.8–10.2 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82%79.3–84.4 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61%57.8–64.1 | 63.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.5%84.6–88.2 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.9%75.4–80.4 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.8%68.1–75.5 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.5%76.7–86 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.7%22–27.6 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.2%30.6–38 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.9%21.8–28.2 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.6%9.7–14 | 10.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.1%8.6–11.8 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.5%6.4–8.6 | 7.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.8–9 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16%13.5–18.9 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.3%31.7–39 | 32.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16%13.8–18.4 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.9%14–18 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.2–10.4 | 8.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.2–5.5 | 4.4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.5–9.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 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 Fort Kent
Is Fort Kent a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Kent is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #102 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 Fort Kent?
CDC estimates 37.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.8% and 41.8%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Kent?
Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent, 3.8 miles in a straight line from Fort Kent’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Fort Kent have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–10.2%), 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 Fort Kent 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 Fort Kent.
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.