Photo: Billy Hathorn · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Waterville is healthier than 58%
Waterville differs from Maine on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Waterville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Waterville
Making ends meet is harder in Waterville
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (16%), vs 10.7% across Maine. No reliable transportation (11.3% vs 7.8%) and utility shut-off threats (10.3% vs 7.4%) are higher too. 22.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Waterville
56.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.8% across Maine. Among those 65 and older, 21.6% have lost all their teeth (Maine 14.8%). Checkups ↓
Mental distress runs high in Waterville
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.9%), vs 17.7% across Maine. Depression is above the state too: 30.2%, vs 26.9% across Maine. Mind & connection ↓
Waterville is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Waterville is healthier than 30%. Against the 6,984 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 58%. 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 Waterville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Waterville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterville is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #113 of 143 in Maine. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 70% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Waterville’s median household income is $53,580; among the 6,984 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 58%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Waterville compares well: binge drinking, 12.8% (U.S. 15.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
22.2% of Waterville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Keeping up with care
Share of Waterville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How Waterville adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Waterville runs above Maine.
1 in 3 Waterville 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.
Out of every 100 Waterville adults…
Waterville runs below ME on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Waterville
No hospital or community health center in Waterville 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 Waterville; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
17 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
Waterville and the towns around it
Waterville’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterville | C | 33.2% | 12.2% | 16.9% | CDC place |
| Winslow | C | 33% | 12.2% | 16.4% | ZIP 04901 |
| Winslow | — | — | — | — | |
| Oakland | B− | 32.4% | 11.5% | 15.3% | ZIP 04963 |
| Oakland | — | — | — | — |
Winslow and Oakland: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Waterville adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Waterville
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Waterville is better than Maine on 2 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Waterville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Waterville | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.2%20.6–25.9 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.3–17.8 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.9%18.8–23.1 | 17.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.2%29–37.6 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.2%10.8–13.7 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.8%31.1–36.6 | 35.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.5%32.6–38.5 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.5%29.1–33.9 | 32% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 13.3%12–14.7 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.7–9.2 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.2–8.8 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 10%8.9–11.3 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.6%18.4–25.3 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.9%14.6–19.3 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.4%24–31.1 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.8%10.8–15 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.2%32.1–40.5 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.9%8.3–11.9 | 7.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%77–82.5 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.1%52.9–59.2 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.1%79.9–84.3 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.2%72.8–77.6 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.2%64.4–71.9 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.6%71–81.8 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.2%27.1–33.5 | 26.9% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33%29.6–36.8 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.1%21.2–27.2 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16%13.6–18.7 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.5%11.5–15.7 | 9.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.3%8.8–11.9 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.3%9.9–12.9 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22.2%19.2–25.5 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.9%35.3–42.6 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.3%14.6–18.2 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20%17.7–22.2 | 15.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.4–10.3 | 8.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.4–6.6 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11%9.7–12.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4–5 | 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 Waterville
Is Waterville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Waterville is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #113 of 143 in Maine. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Waterville?
CDC estimates 33.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29% and 37.6%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Waterville?
Maine General Medical Center in Augusta, 14.0 miles in a straight line from Waterville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Waterville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.3–11.9%), 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 Waterville 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 Waterville.
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.