James Leavitt House · Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Waterboro is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns
Waterboro differs from Maine on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 04061, 04087, 04030. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waterboro
Binge drinking is the habit Waterboro doesn’t win on
18.9% of adults binge drink, vs 15.5% across Maine. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
The nearest ER is 23 miles from Waterboro
The closest emergency room is Mainehealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, 22.9 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, York County Community Action Corporation is closer (10.1 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Heart disease and stroke are less common in Waterboro
Waterboro runs below Maine on heart disease (6% vs 7.6%), stroke (3% vs 3.6%) and diabetes (9.4% vs 11.2%). A young population is part of it: only 15% 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 Waterboro’s likely range; Waterboro’s figures come from ZIP codes 04061, 04087, 04030, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind Waterboro’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterboro is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, #60 of 143 in Maine. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 87% of U.S. towns); mental 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). Waterboro’s median household income is $89,392; among the 10,013 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$112K), it’s healthier than 56%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
53 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Care in and near Waterboro
No hospital or community health center in Waterboro 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 Waterboro; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Waterboro adults…
Waterboro runs below ME on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Waterboro adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How Waterboro adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
1 in 3 Waterboro 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.
13.1% of Waterboro adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Waterboro and the towns around it
Waterboro has the best Health Grade of the 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterboro | B | 34.4% | 9.4% | 15.4% | ZIP codes |
| Limerick | B | 34.1% | 9.8% | 15% | ZIP 04048 |
| Alfred · Lyman | B | 34% | 11.1% | 15.2% | ZIP 04002 |
| Limington | B− | 35.4% | 10.5% | 16.9% | ZIP 04049 |
| Lake Arrowhead | — | — | — | — | |
| Hollis | B | 34.5% | 10.2% | 15.6% | ZIP 04042 |
Lake Arrowhead: 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 Waterboro adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waterboro
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waterboro is better than Maine on 7 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Waterboro’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waterboro | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.8%15.3–20.4 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.6–14.9 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.1%17–21.2 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.4%30.2–38.5 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.4%8.2–10.6 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.2%29.5–34.7 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.7%31.9–37.4 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.3%25.9–30.6 | 32% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 13.4%12–14.8 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.6%7.8–9.3 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.3–6.8 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.5%6.3–8.6 | 8.4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.3 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.9%9–13 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%12.8–18.2 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.2%18–24.3 | 23.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.9%16.5–21.5 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.4%28.7–36.1 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%6–9.5 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%75.8–81.2 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.3%62.5–68.2 | 63.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86%83.9–87.9 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.2%71.2–76.7 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%64.7–71.7 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%75.4–84.6 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.4%24.5–30.1 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.2%28.9–35.5 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.3%20.5–26.4 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.1%8.2–12.5 | 10.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.2%8.5–12.2 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.5%6.4–8.8 | 7.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.7%6.6–9 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.1%10.6–16.1 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.8%27.4–34.2 | 32.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.7%10–13.4 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17%14.8–19.2 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6.1–7.7 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.5–8.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.8–3.7 | 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 Waterboro
Is Waterboro a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterboro is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #60 of 143 in Maine. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 56%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waterboro?
CDC estimates 34.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.2% and 38.5%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waterboro?
Mainehealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, 22.9 miles in a straight line from Waterboro’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waterboro have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6–9.5%), 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 Waterboro more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Waterboro.
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.