Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Sanford is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns
Sanford trails Maine on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sanford. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sanford
Every town around Sanford scores healthier
All four graded neighbors are ahead of Sanford’s C+, from Shapleigh (B−) to North Berwick (B+). Around town ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Sanford
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (13%), vs 10.7% across Maine. Utility shut-off threats (8.9% vs 7.4%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Sanford has a community health center but no hospital
York County Community Action Corporation is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester, 14.5 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Sanford’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Sanford’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sanford is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns, #97 of 143 in Maine. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 65% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Sanford’s median household income is $72,524; among the 10,696 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$91K), it’s healthier than 45%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Sanford and the towns around it
Sanford’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford | C+ | 35.5% | 11.1% | 17.1% | CDC place |
| Alfred | B | 34% | 11.1% | 15.2% | ZIP 04002 |
| North Berwick | B+ | 33.5% | 10.1% | 14% | ZIP 03906 |
| Shapleigh | B− | 34.9% | 10.9% | 15.7% | ZIP 04076 |
| Lebanon | B | 34.9% | 10% | 16.1% | ZIP 04027 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.7% of Sanford adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Care in and near Sanford
1 community health center in Sanford, 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 Sanford; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Sanford adults…
On every condition, Sanford is about the same as Maine. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
67 miles of trails across 31 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Sanford adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How Sanford adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
1 in 3 Sanford 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sanford adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sanford
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sanford is better than Maine on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Sanford’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sanford | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.3%19–23.6 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13.3–16.4 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.5–21.3 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%31.2–39.7 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.8–12.4 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.6%32.8–38.3 | 35.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%33.8–39.3 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.2%28.8–33.5 | 32% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 13.6%12.2–15 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.6–10.1 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.7–8.1 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.3%8.3–10.3 | 8.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.1%11.8–16.6 | 14.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.1%14.9–19.2 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24.9%21.8–27.7 | 23.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.7–19.4 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.1%29.3–36.9 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9%7.7–10.4 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%76.8–81.9 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.3%57.3–63.3 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.4%83.7–86.9 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.4%73.8–78.7 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.5%63.8–71 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%73.9–83.5 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.3%24.5–30.1 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.5%29.3–35.6 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.7%21.2–26.4 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13%11.3–14.9 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.7%10.2–13.4 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.9%7.8–10 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.2%8.2–10.3 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.7%15.6–19.9 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.1%31.9–38.1 | 32.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.6%13.1–16.2 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.5%16.6–20.4 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.5–9.2 | 8.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.5–5.4 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%8.2–10.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.7–4.4 | 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 Sanford
Is Sanford a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sanford is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #97 of 143 in Maine. 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 Sanford?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.2% and 39.7%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sanford?
Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester, 14.5 miles in a straight line from Sanford’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sanford have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–10.4%), 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 Sanford more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Sanford.
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.