Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Pownal is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns
Pownal beats Maine on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 04069. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pownal
Pownal keeps up with checkups
It beats Maine on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (73.4% vs 63.8%) and cholesterol checks (89.4% vs 87.1%). Checkups ↓
Pownal is an active town
Only 18.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.1% across Maine. The town has 31 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Fewer Pownal 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 Pownal’s likely range; Pownal’s figures come from ZIP code 04069, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
What’s behind Pownal’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pownal is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 91% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 58%.
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). Pownal’s median household income is $104,333; among the 7,943 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($78K–$130K), it’s healthier than 73%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Pownal 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.
31 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.8% of Pownal adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Out of every 100 Pownal adults…
Pownal runs below ME on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Pownal
No hospital or community health center in Pownal 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 Pownal; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Pownal adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
1 in 3 Pownal 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.
Pownal and the towns around it
Pownal’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pownal | A− | 27.7% | 9.8% | 12.6% | ZIP 04069 |
| North Yarmouth | A | 27.2% | 8.9% | 11.4% | ZIP 04097 |
| Freeport | A | 27.1% | 9.8% | 11.1% | ZIP 04032 |
| Durham | B+ | 33.7% | 10% | 13.6% | ZIP 04222 |
| New Gloucester | A− | 27.7% | 8.7% | 12.9% | ZIP 04260 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pownal adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pownal
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pownal is better than Maine on 12 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Pownal’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pownal | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.3%12.8–18.4 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.3–15.1 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.5–18.8 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.7%24–31.7 | 32.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.8%8.4–11.3 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.7%31.8–37.8 | 35.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%33.2–38.8 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2%27.6–32.9 | 32% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.8–13.4 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.2–11.2 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.7–7.5 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7%5.6–8.4 | 8.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.7–3.7 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.6%10.4–14.9 | 14.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.6%9.7–15.5 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.1%14.7–21.7 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.8–19.4 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.2%26.1–32.5 | 32.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.3%4.8–8.3 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81%78.5–83.3 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.4%70.9–75.7 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.4%87.6–90.9 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.4%72.4–78.2 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.7%70.6–76.5 | 70.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.4%75.8–84.5 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.6%22.9–28.3 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.1%27.8–34.3 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%19.4–25.3 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.7%6–9.7 | 10.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.9%6.3–9.5 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.8%4.8–6.8 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.2%5.2–7.3 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.8%7.4–12.4 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.2%23.6–31.2 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.5%9.5–13.6 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%11.3–15.8 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.4–8.3 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%2.9–4.1 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%5.7–8.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.4–3.5 | 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 Pownal
Is Pownal a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pownal is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 73%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pownal?
CDC estimates 27.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 24% and 31.7%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pownal?
St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, 12.8 miles in a straight line from Pownal’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Pownal have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.8–8.3%), 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 Pownal more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Pownal.
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.