Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, South Berwick is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
South Berwick differs from Maine on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03908. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in South Berwick
Binge drinking is the habit South Berwick doesn’t win on
18.9% of adults binge drink, vs 15.5% across Maine, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
South Berwick is an active town
Only 17.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.1% across Maine. The town has 34 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
COPD and heart disease are less common in South Berwick
South Berwick runs below Maine on four chronic conditions, most of all COPD (6% vs 8.4%), heart disease (5.6% vs 7.6%) and stroke (2.7% vs 3.6%). A young population is part of it: only 16% of residents are 65 or older (Maine 22%). Conditions ↓
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 South Berwick’s likely range; South Berwick’s figures come from ZIP code 03908, 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 South Berwick’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, South Berwick is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, #11 of 143 in Maine. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 94% 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). South Berwick’s median household income is $99,572; among the 8,666 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($75K–$124K), it’s healthier than 87%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
34 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 South Berwick adults…
South Berwick runs below ME on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near South Berwick
No hospital or community health center in South Berwick 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 South Berwick; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of South Berwick adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How South Berwick adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
3 in 10 South Berwick 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.
8.1% of South Berwick adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
South Berwick and the towns around it
South Berwick’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Berwick | A | 31.8% | 8.5% | 11.4% | ZIP 03908 |
| South Berwick | — | — | — | — | |
| Eliot | A− | 32.4% | 10% | 12.1% | ZIP 03903 |
| Berwick | A− | 33.2% | 9.1% | 13.7% | ZIP 03901 |
| York | A− | 31.3% | 10.8% | 10.6% | ZIP codes |
| Wells | B+ | 32.8% | 11.6% | 12.8% | ZIP 04090 |
| North Berwick | B+ | 33.5% | 10.1% | 14% | ZIP 03906 |
South Berwick: 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 South Berwick adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for South Berwick
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, South Berwick is better than Maine on 18 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside South Berwick’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | South Berwick | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.2%12.5–15.9 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.4%10.2–12.7 | 14.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.8–18.4 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.8%27.8–35.8 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.5%7.5–9.6 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.1%28.5–33.7 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35%32.3–37.8 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28%25.8–30.3 | 32% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12.7%11.4–14 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.7–10.3 | 9.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5–6.2 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6%5.3–6.8 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–2.9 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.4%7.8–11.2 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.4%9.7–13.2 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.2%14.9–19.5 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.9%16.4–21.5 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.8%27.3–34.5 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.6%4.6–6.6 | 7.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.2%77.7–82.6 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.9%67.2–72.5 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%87.3–90.2 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.5%72.6–78.1 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.9%67.4–74.1 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.4%77.9–86.3 | 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 | 29.9%27–33 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.8%18.4–23.3 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.7%5.6–8 | 10.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.6%6.5–8.9 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%4.8–6.4 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%5–6.5 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.1%6.8–9.6 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.7%24–29.4 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.9%8.7–11.2 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%12.1–15.3 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.8–7.1 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.7–3.3 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6%5.3–6.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–2.9 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 South Berwick
Is South Berwick a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, South Berwick is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health, #11 of 143 in Maine. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 87%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in South Berwick?
CDC estimates 31.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.8% and 35.8%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to South Berwick?
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover, 6.3 miles in a straight line from South Berwick’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in South Berwick have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.6–6.6%), 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 South Berwick 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 South Berwick.
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.