Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Atkinson is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
Atkinson differs from New Hampshire on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03811. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Atkinson
Against towns with similar incomes, Atkinson’s lead shrinks
Atkinson is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns, but 68% of the 3,018 towns with similar household incomes ($110K–$183K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer runs high in Atkinson
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.4%), vs 9.8% across New Hampshire. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (New Hampshire 20%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Atkinson adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below New Hampshire. 1 in 14 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 11 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 New Hampshire figure falls outside Atkinson’s likely range; Atkinson’s figures come from ZIP code 03811, 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 Atkinson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Atkinson is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #26 of 126 in New Hampshire. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 95% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 81%.
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). Atkinson’s median household income is $146,380; among the 3,018 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($110K–$183K), it’s healthier than 68%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
4.4% of Atkinson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Out of every 100 Atkinson adults…
Atkinson runs below NH on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Atkinson is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across New Hampshire. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Atkinson as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Atkinson
No hospital or community health center in Atkinson 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 Atkinson; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
18 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Atkinson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Atkinson adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Atkinson does better than New Hampshire.
1 in 4 Atkinson 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.
Atkinson and the towns around it
Atkinson 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Atkinson adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Atkinson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Atkinson is better than New Hampshire on 8 and worse on 3; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Atkinson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Atkinson | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.6%10.4–15 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.4%9.8–13.2 | 11.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%11.9–15.6 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.8%26.2–35.4 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.6%8.1–11.1 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.8%33.5–40 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.9%35.8–42 | 35.2% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 29.2%26.4–32 | 27.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.3 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.4%10.3–12.5 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.3–7 | 6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.9%4.8–7.2 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5%4.1–6 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.3%7–11.7 | 10.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.5%15.2–22.1 | 20.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%12.6–17 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.6%27.2–34.5 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.1%3.8–6.8 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.6%77.7–83 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.4%73–77.8 | 68.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.2%89.6–92.6 | 88.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76.4–81.6 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.4%69–75.8 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.2%72.9–82.8 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.3%18.6–24.1 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.1%23.8–30.5 | 30.6% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19%16.3–21.8 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.2%5.5–9.3 | 9.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.2%4.9–7.6 | 8.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.3%3.5–5.2 | 5.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.3%3.6–5.2 | 5.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.4%3.2–5.8 | 6.5% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.2%20.7–27.7 | 26.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.7%8.7–12.7 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.1%8.4–11.8 | 12% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.5–8.5 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.8–3.9 | 3.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.6%4.7–6.7 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.2–3.2 | 2.9% | 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 New Hampshire figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Atkinson
Is Atkinson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Atkinson is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #26 of 126 in New Hampshire. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 68%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Atkinson?
CDC estimates 30.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.2% and 35.4%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Atkinson?
Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, 7.8 miles in a straight line from Atkinson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Atkinson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.8–6.8%), against 6.8% across New Hampshire.
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 Atkinson 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 Atkinson.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Hampshire 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.