Photo: en:User:Binkley27 · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Peru is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns
Peru trails Maine on 4 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 04290. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Peru
What’s behind Peru’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Peru is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 63% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Peru’s median household income is $66,827; among the 10,173 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Peru adults…
Peru runs above ME on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Peru
No hospital or community health center in Peru 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 Peru; ≈ 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Peru adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How Peru adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
1 in 3 Peru 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.
17.4% of Peru adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Peru and the towns around it
Peru’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peru | C+ | 34.4% | 13% | 17.5% | ZIP 04290 |
| Dixfield | C | 35.4% | 13% | 17.4% | ZIP 04224 |
| Canton | C+ | 33.7% | 14.4% | 15.7% | ZIP 04221 |
| Dixfield | — | — | — | — | |
| Mexico | C | 35% | 13% | 18.5% | ZIP 04257 |
| Rumford | D | 37.6% | 15.7% | 21.4% | ZIP 04276 |
| Hartford | B− | 33.9% | 11.8% | 17% | ZIP 04220 |
| Sumner | C+ | 35% | 12.3% | 18.2% | ZIP 04292 |
Dixfield: 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 Peru adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Peru
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Peru is better than Maine on 0 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Peru’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Peru | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.5%18.3–24.9 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.4–18.6 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.8–20.1 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.4%30–39.4 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11.3–14.9 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.1%33.9–40.5 | 35.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.8%37.7–44.3 | 37.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 34.7%31.9–37.8 | 32% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 13.4%12–14.9 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.3–11.3 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.6%7.5–9.7 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 10.1%8.4–11.9 | 8.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.6–4.7 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.9%10.8–15.2 | 14.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.5%14.4–21 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.5%20.7–28.6 | 23.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.5–18.6 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.1%29.9–38.4 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.4%6.3–10.8 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.1%78.4–83.9 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.9%54.6–60.9 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.8%84.7–89 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.2%74.3–79.9 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.2%64–72 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.2%72.4–83.3 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.2%23.3–29.4 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.6%28.7–36.4 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.9%21.3–28.2 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.2%10.3–16.3 | 10.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.7%9.6–13.9 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.7%7.2–10.1 | 7.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.7%7.3–10.2 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.4%13.7–21 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33%29–37.1 | 32.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.7%13.3–18.2 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.8%14.6–19.4 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%8–10.3 | 8.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.5–6.1 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%7.9–10.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.6–5 | 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 Peru
Is Peru a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Peru is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 46%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Peru?
CDC estimates 34.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 39.4%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Peru?
Rumford Hospital in Rumford, 8.1 miles in a straight line from Peru’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Peru have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.3–10.8%), 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 Peru more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Peru.
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.