Photo: RootsLilla · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Gray is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Gray differs from Maine on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 04039, 04071. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gray
Binge drinking is the habit Gray doesn’t win on
18.3% of adults binge drink, vs 15.5% across Maine, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Gray is an active town
Only 16.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.1% across Maine. The town has 41 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in Gray
Gray runs below Maine on six chronic conditions, most of all COPD (6.2% vs 8.4%), heart disease (5.7% vs 7.6%) and stroke (2.8% vs 3.6%). 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 Gray’s likely range; Gray’s figures come from ZIP codes 04039, 04071, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Gray’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gray is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #13 of 143 in Maine. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 95% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 50%).
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). Gray’s median household income is $95,236; among the 9,262 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$119K), it’s healthier than 88%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
41 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Gray adults…
Gray runs below ME on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Gray
No hospital or community health center in Gray 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 Gray; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gray adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How Gray adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
1 in 3 Gray 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.
10% of Gray adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Gray and the towns around it
Gray’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gray | A | 27.5% | 8.8% | 11.8% | ZIP codes |
| Windham | A | 26.9% | 8.3% | 11.5% | ZIP 04062 |
| Raymond | A | 27.2% | 9.6% | 11.2% | ZIP 04071 |
| New Gloucester | A− | 27.7% | 8.7% | 12.9% | ZIP 04260 |
| Cumberland | A+ | 25.4% | 8.2% | 8.7% | ZIP codes |
| North Yarmouth | A | 27.2% | 8.9% | 11.4% | ZIP 04097 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gray adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gray
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gray is better than Maine on 17 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Gray’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gray | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.4%12.3–16.6 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.7–13.9 | 14.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.2–19 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.5%23.8–31.2 | 32.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.8%7.6–10 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.7%29–34.3 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.6%30.9–36.3 | 37.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 27.2%24.9–29.5 | 32% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.9–13.4 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.3–9.9 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5–6.4 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.2%5.3–7.2 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.5–3.2 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.7%8.2–11.5 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.8%9.6–14.1 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.7%14.1–19.4 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%15.9–20.8 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.3%27–33.6 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.3%5–7.8 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.6%77–82.1 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70%67.4–72.4 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.2%86.4–89.8 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73%70.2–75.8 | 76.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.3%69.3–75.2 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.7%77.3–85.5 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.4%23.7–29.1 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.3%28.3–34.6 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%19.4–24.8 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.9%6.2–9.7 | 10.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.2%6.7–9.9 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.1%5.1–7.3 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.5%5.5–7.7 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10%8–12.4 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.6%22.6–28.6 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%8.7–11.7 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.7–15.4 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.2 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.6%5.7–7.6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Gray
Is Gray a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gray is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #13 of 143 in Maine. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 88%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gray?
CDC estimates 27.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.8% and 31.2%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gray?
Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, 15.7 miles in a straight line from Gray’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gray have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5–7.8%), 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 Gray more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gray.
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.