On CDC estimates, Palmyra is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Palmyra differs from Maine on 27 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 26 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 04965. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Palmyra
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Palmyra
1 in 7 adults have COPD (15%), vs 8.4% across Maine. 1 in 18 adults have had a stroke (5.5%), vs 3.6% across Maine. Heart disease is also above the state: 11.2%, vs 7.6% across Maine. In all, Palmyra runs above Maine on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Palmyra is in the bottom 4% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Palmyra is healthier than only 4% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Palmyra
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (20.1%), about twice the Maine rate. Utility shut-off threats (13.4% vs 7.4%) and no reliable transportation (12.6% vs 7.8%) are higher too. 30.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Palmyra adults live with a disability
43.7% of adults live with a disability, vs 32.1% across Maine. The biggest difference is vision loss: 7.9% vs 4.4%. Disability ↓
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 Palmyra’s likely range; Palmyra’s figures come from ZIP code 04965, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Palmyra’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmyra is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 20% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Palmyra’s median household income is $60,543; among the 9,072 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$76K), it’s healthier than 3%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Palmyra compares well: binge drinking, 12.9% (U.S. 15.4%).
Out of every 100 Palmyra adults…
Palmyra runs above ME on 11 of 12 conditions. 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.
30.7% of Palmyra adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Palmyra adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Care in and near Palmyra
No hospital or community health center in Palmyra 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 Palmyra; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
29 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Palmyra adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How Palmyra adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Palmyra runs above Maine.
1 in 3 Palmyra 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.
Palmyra and the towns around it
Palmyra’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmyra | D− | 40.2% | 16.5% | 24.8% | ZIP 04965 |
| Hartland | C | 35.3% | 12.8% | 18% | ZIP 04943 |
| St. Albans | C− | 37.1% | 13.8% | 19.6% | ZIP 04971 |
| Hartland | — | — | — | — | |
| Newport | C | 38.3% | 12.4% | 15.8% | ZIP 04953 |
| Pittsfield | D | 38% | 13.5% | 21.2% | ZIP 04967 |
| Detroit | — | — | — | — |
Hartland and Detroit: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Every CDC estimate for Palmyra
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Palmyra is better than Maine on 1 and worse on 26; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Palmyra’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Palmyra | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.5%25.4–34.2 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.4%17.8–23.2 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.8%19.3–24.5 | 17.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.2%35.3–45.3 | 32.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16.5%14.4–18.7 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.8%39.4–46.2 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.7%39.4–46 | 37.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.8%35.8–42 | 32% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 14.5%12.9–16.2 | 12.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9–11.1 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.2%9.9–12.7 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 15%12.8–17.6 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.5%4.8–6.3 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.1%18.6–25.8 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 24.8%20.7–29.2 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33.6%29–38.8 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.9%10.9–15 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.3%36–44.9 | 32.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.4%8.7–14.4 | 7.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.7%80–85.1 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49.1%45.9–52.5 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.5%82–86.7 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.2%74.4–79.7 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.2%62.2–70.1 | 70.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.2%66.8–78.7 | 80.3% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.6%27.5–34.1 | 26.9% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35.4%31.5–39.5 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.9%21.4–28.6 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.1%16.1–24.3 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.4%12.8–18.3 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.4%11.3–15.7 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.6%10.6–14.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 30.7%25.4–36 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.7%39.1–48.8 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.4%19.2–25.8 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.6%18.6–24.9 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.7%10.4–13.1 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.9%6.7–9.2 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.4%11.4–15.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.6%5.6–7.8 | 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 Palmyra
Is Palmyra a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmyra is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 3%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Palmyra?
CDC estimates 40.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.3% and 45.3%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Palmyra?
Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital in Pittsfield, 3.6 miles in a straight line from Palmyra’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Palmyra have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.7–14.4%), 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 Palmyra 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 Palmyra.
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.