Porter-Parsonfield Bridge · Photo: --Hugh Manatee 14:08, 11 February 2011 (UTC) · CC0On CDC estimates, Porter is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns
Porter trails Maine on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 04068. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Porter
Making ends meet is harder in Porter
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (14.6%), vs 10.7% across Maine. Housing insecurity (12.8% vs 9.8%) and utility shut-off threats (9.6% vs 7.4%) are higher too. 19.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Porter
54.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.8% across Maine. Among those 65 and older, 18.1% have lost all their teeth (Maine 14.8%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Porter
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (18.6%), vs 14.4% across Maine. Habits ↓
Porter is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Porter is healthier than 29%. Against the 9,042 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$76K), it’s healthier than 45%. 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 Porter’s likely range; Porter’s figures come from ZIP code 04068, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Porter’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Porter is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 56% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 16%).
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). Porter’s median household income is $60,417; among the 9,042 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$76K), it’s healthier than 45%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.7% of Porter adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Keeping up with care
Share of Porter adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
33 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Porter adults…
Porter runs above ME on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Porter
1 community health center in Porter, 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 Porter; ≈ 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 Porter adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
1 in 3 Porter 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.
Porter and the towns around it
Porter’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porter | C | 35.4% | 12.8% | 18.6% | ZIP 04068 |
| Parsonsfield | C | 36.1% | 12.4% | 17.6% | ZIP 04047 |
| Hiram | C | 35.7% | 13.2% | 18.8% | ZIP 04041 |
| Brownfield | C+ | 34.6% | 12.8% | 17.1% | ZIP 04010 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Porter adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Porter
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Porter is better than Maine on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Porter’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Porter | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.1%19.1–25.3 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.6–18.8 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.8–21.2 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.4%30.8–40.6 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11.3–14.7 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.2%33.1–39.5 | 35.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.7%36.6–43.2 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.7%31–36.7 | 32% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 13.6%12.2–15.3 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.5–10.5 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.2–9.1 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 10.3%8.9–11.8 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.1%15.1–21.2 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.6%15.6–21.8 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.2%21.6–29.1 | 23.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.8–18.9 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.3%31.1–39.8 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.1%7.2–11.1 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.4%77.6–83.2 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.5%51.2–57.9 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.5%83.5–87.4 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76%73.2–78.8 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.8%62.8–70.5 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.2%67.7–79.9 | 80.3% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.1%24.2–30.5 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.1%29.3–36.8 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.1%21.9–28.3 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.6%12.1–17.3 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.8%10.8–14.9 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.6%8.2–11 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.5%8.2–10.9 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.7%16.7–23.1 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.2%29.4–37.2 | 32.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.6%13.4–17.9 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.7%15.6–20.1 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.7–9.7 | 8.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.5–11.2 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.8–5 | 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 Porter
Is Porter a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Porter is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 45%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Porter?
CDC estimates 35.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.8% and 40.6%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Porter?
The Memorial Hospital in North Conway, 18.0 miles in a straight line from Porter’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Porter have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–11.1%), 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 Porter 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 Porter.
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.