Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Newcastle is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns
Newcastle differs from Maine on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 04553. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Newcastle
Newcastle keeps up with checkups
It beats Maine on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.2% vs 81.2%) and dentist visits (69.5% vs 63.8%). Checkups ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Newcastle
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.1%), vs 9.9% across Maine. 2 in 5 adults have arthritis (37.5%), vs 32% across Maine. Conditions ↓
Fewer Newcastle adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Maine. 1 in 13 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 9 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Newcastle’s likely range; Newcastle’s figures come from ZIP code 04553, 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 Newcastle’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Newcastle is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 81% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 56%.
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). Newcastle’s median household income is $89,868; among the 9,961 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$112K), it’s healthier than 74%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Newcastle adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
Out of every 100 Newcastle adults…
Newcastle runs below ME on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.4% of Newcastle adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Care in and near Newcastle
No hospital or community health center in Newcastle 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 Newcastle; ≈ 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.
19 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves
How Newcastle adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Newcastle does better than Maine.
3 in 10 Newcastle 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.
Newcastle and the towns around it
Newcastle’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle | B+ | 30.6% | 11.7% | 12.1% | ZIP 04553 |
| Alna | — | — | — | — | |
| Damariscotta | B | 30.8% | 12.7% | 12.6% | ZIP 04543 |
| Nobleboro | B | 32.1% | 12.3% | 13.7% | ZIP 04555 |
| Newcastle | — | — | — | — | |
| Damariscotta | — | — | — | — | |
| Wiscasset | B | 31.8% | 11.4% | 14.9% | ZIP 04578 |
| South Bristol | A+ | 25.8% | 9.6% | 7.7% | ZIP codes |
Alna and Newcastle: 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 Newcastle adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Newcastle
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Newcastle is better than Maine on 12 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Newcastle’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Newcastle | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.1%14.6–19.9 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%12–15.6 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.7–17.5 | 17.7% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.6%26.2–35.3 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.7%10.1–13.3 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.8%35.4–42.1 | 35.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.7%38.2–45.1 | 37.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.5%34.5–40.5 | 32% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.8–13.5 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.1%11–13.3 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.1–9 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.1%6.8–9.5 | 8.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.3–4.2 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.5%7.8–11.5 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.1%9.8–14.5 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.6%17.2–24.4 | 23.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13%10.9–15.2 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.2%24.4–32.3 | 32.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.5%5.1–8.1 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.2%81.6–86.4 | 81.2% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.5%66.6–72.3 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90%88.5–91.5 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.1%77.3–82.7 | 76.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.2%68.5–75.7 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.8%74.2–84.5 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.1%23–29.2 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.1%25.6–32.9 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.1%18.1–24.2 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8%6.4–9.9 | 10.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.6%6.2–9.1 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%4.7–6.7 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%5–6.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.4%8.2–12.8 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.6%26.8–34.5 | 32.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.4%12.2–16.7 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13%11.1–14.9 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.9%7.8–9.9 | 8.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.5–4.7 | 4.4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6.1–8.2 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.8–3.8 | 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 Newcastle
Is Newcastle a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Newcastle is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 74%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Newcastle?
CDC estimates 30.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.2% and 35.3%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Newcastle?
Lincolnhealth in Damariscotta, 2.6 miles in a straight line from Newcastle’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Newcastle have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–8.1%), 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 Newcastle 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 Newcastle.
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.