Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Lewiston is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Lewiston differs from Maine on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 22 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lewiston. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lewiston
Mental distress runs high in Lewiston
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (21.5%), vs 17.7% across Maine. Lack of emotional support is above the state too: 25.9%, vs 22.7% across Maine. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Lewiston
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19.6%), vs 10.7% across Maine. Utility shut-off threats (13.7% vs 7.4%) and housing insecurity (16.9% vs 9.8%) are higher too. 26.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Lewiston
56.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.8% across Maine. Among those 65 and older, 22.5% have lost all their teeth (Maine 14.8%). Checkups ↓
Lewiston has a top-rated hospital
St. Mary's Regional Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Lewiston’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Lewiston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lewiston is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, #129 of 143 in Maine. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 37% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Lewiston’s median household income is $55,393; among the 7,539 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$69K), it’s healthier than 31%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
How Lewiston adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, Lewiston runs above Maine.
1 in 3 Lewiston 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.
26.5% of Lewiston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lewiston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
Care in and near Lewiston
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Lewiston, 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 Lewiston; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Lewiston adults…
Lewiston runs below ME on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
20 miles of trails across 23 parks and preserves
Lewiston and the towns around it
Lewiston’s Health Grade ranks 6th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewiston | C− | 37.8% | 12.9% | 18.8% | CDC place |
| Auburn | C+ | 35.3% | 12.2% | 15.9% | CDC place |
| Durham | B+ | 33.7% | 10% | 13.6% | ZIP 04222 |
| Sabattus | C+ | 36% | 11.9% | 17.1% | ZIP 04280 |
| Lisbon | B− | 34.1% | 11.2% | 14.6% | ZIP codes |
| Greene | C | 36.7% | 13.2% | 17.4% | ZIP 04236 |
| Sabattus | — | — | — | — |
Sabattus: 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 Lewiston adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lewiston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lewiston is better than Maine on 1 and worse on 22; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Lewiston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lewiston | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.7%21.5–26.1 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.9–18.2 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.5%19.5–23.7 | 17.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.8%33.5–42.6 | 32.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11.5–14.5 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.3%31.6–37.4 | 35.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.7%33.9–39.9 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.7%29.3–34.4 | 32% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 13.9%12.6–15.5 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.2%7.5–8.9 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.7%7–8.5 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.9%9–11 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.7–4.3 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.5%19.3–25.8 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.8%16.7–21.1 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.1%26.9–33.7 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%12.2–16.7 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.5%34.4–42.6 | 32.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.1%9.6–12.8 | 7.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.2%76.5–82 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.1%53–59 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.7%80.8–84.5 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.6%71–76.4 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.4%61.4–69.2 | 70.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%75–84.8 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.5%27.5–33.9 | 26.9% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35.6%32.1–39.6 | 32% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.9%23.1–29.2 | 22.7% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.6%17.5–22 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.9%15–18.9 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.7%12.3–15.3 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.3%12–14.7 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 26.5%24.2–28.9 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.7%34.4–41.2 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.3%14.7–18.2 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.9%18.1–21.9 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.8–9.6 | 8.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.4%5.9–7 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.3%10.2–12.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.4–5.2 | 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 Lewiston
Is Lewiston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lewiston is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #129 of 143 in Maine. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 31%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lewiston?
CDC estimates 37.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.5% and 42.6%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lewiston?
St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, 0.0 miles in a straight line from Lewiston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lewiston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.6–12.8%), 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 Lewiston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lewiston.
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.