Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Houlton is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns
Houlton differs from Maine on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 04730. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Houlton
More Houlton adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (33.3%), vs 23.1% across Maine. There are 22 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Houlton
53.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.8% across Maine. Among those 65 and older, 24.7% have lost all their teeth (Maine 14.8%). Checkups ↓
Houlton is in the bottom 8% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Houlton is healthier than only 8% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on five of the seven. 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 Houlton’s likely range; Houlton’s figures come from ZIP code 04730, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Houlton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Houlton is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns, #141 of 143 in Maine. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 17% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Houlton’s median household income is $61,058; among the 9,184 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 8%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
22 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Houlton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
Out of every 100 Houlton adults…
Houlton runs above ME on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Houlton
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Houlton, 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 Houlton; ≈ 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).
How Houlton adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Houlton runs above Maine.
1 in 3 Houlton 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.
23.7% of Houlton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Houlton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houlton · Hodgdon | D | 41.1% | 14.7% | 19.8% | ZIP 04730 |
| Ludlow | — | — | — | — | |
| Littleton | — | — | — | — | |
| New Limerick | — | — | — | — |
Houlton and Hodgdon share one ZIP estimate, so they share a row. Ludlow, Littleton and New Limerick: 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 Houlton adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Houlton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Houlton is better than Maine on 1 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Houlton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Houlton | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.1%22.4–27.8 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16.2–20 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.7%17.8–21.9 | 17.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.1%36.4–46 | 32.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.7%13–16.4 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.4%39.2–45.5 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.2%37.1–43.5 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.9%33.1–38.6 | 32% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 14%12.6–15.5 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.8%8.9–10.6 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.2%8.3–10.1 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.4%10.2–12.7 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4.2–5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 24.7%21.2–28.6 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.8%17.3–22.2 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33.3%29.7–37.1 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.1%11.1–15.4 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.2%34–42.7 | 32.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10%8.4–11.7 | 7.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.8%79.1–84.2 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.5%50–56.7 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.4%83.7–87.2 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.9%75.3–80.3 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.7%66–73.5 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%72.8–83.3 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.8%23.9–30 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.9%31.3–38.6 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.9%22.9–29.1 | 22.7% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.1%14.1–18.5 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.2%11.5–15.1 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.3%9–11.7 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.2%9.1–11.5 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 23.7%21–26.5 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.7%36.1–43.3 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.2%17.1–21.4 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.6%16.7–20.6 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.2%9.1–11.2 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.2%5.6–6.8 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.7%9.6–12 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 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 Houlton
Is Houlton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Houlton is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns: D for health, #141 of 143 in Maine. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 8%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Houlton?
CDC estimates 41.1% of adults (the figure for ZIP code 04730, which Houlton shares with Hodgdon) have obesity, likely between 36.4% and 46%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Houlton?
Houlton Regional Hospital in Houlton, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Houlton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Houlton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.4–11.7%), 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 Houlton more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C. The figures are ZIP code 04730’s, shared with Hodgdon.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Houlton.
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.