Photo: Ken Gallager · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Freedom is healthier than 85%
Freedom differs from New Hampshire on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03836. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Freedom
Heart disease, COPD and stroke run high in Freedom
1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10%), vs 6% across New Hampshire. 1 in 10 adults have COPD (10%), vs 6.2% across New Hampshire. Stroke is also above the state: 4.9%, vs 3.1% across New Hampshire. In all, Freedom runs above New Hampshire on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 40% of residents are 65 or older (New Hampshire 20%), and heart disease, COPD and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Freedom, and more people treating it
40.2% of adults have high blood pressure (New Hampshire 33%), but 84.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
Freedom is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Freedom is healthier than 64%. Against the 10,110 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 85%. 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 New Hampshire figure falls outside Freedom’s likely range; Freedom’s figures come from ZIP code 03836, 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 Freedom’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Freedom is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 92% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 33%).
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). Freedom’s median household income is $66,136; among the 10,110 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 85%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Freedom adults…
Freedom runs above NH on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Freedom is an older town: 40% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across New Hampshire. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Freedom as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Freedom adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
Care in and near Freedom
No hospital or community health center in Freedom 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 Freedom; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
51 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
How Freedom adults are doing
About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.
3 in 10 Freedom 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 Freedom adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Freedom and the towns around it
Freedom’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Freedom adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Freedom
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Freedom is better than New Hampshire on 4 and worse on 10; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Freedom’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Freedom | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.5%14.4–23.1 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%12.5–18.1 | 11.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.5–15.8 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32%26.7–37.5 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.2%11–15.6 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.2%36.1–44.3 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.6%38.8–46.5 | 35.2% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.9%34.1–41.7 | 27.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.1–11.9 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.9%12.6–15.4 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10%8.4–11.7 | 6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10%7.5–12.6 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.9%4–5.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.7%13.8–19.8 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.2%8.7–15.8 | 10.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.7%18.7–29.3 | 20.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.1%10.1–14.3 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.9%27.3–36.5 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.7%4.5–9.3 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.8%79–84.6 | 77.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.8%64.4–70.8 | 68.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.4%89.8–93 | 88.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.6%81.8–87.1 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.5%68.2–76.3 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.1%72–83.3 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.6%18.4–24.9 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.6%23.5–31.9 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.6%16.1–23.3 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.3%7.1–13.8 | 9.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.4%5.6–9.6 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.1–6.5 | 5.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%4.4–7.1 | 5.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.1%5.4–11.3 | 6.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.2%24.9–35.5 | 26.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%13.3–20.8 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.8%9.4–14.3 | 12% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 11%9.3–12.6 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.2–6.7 | 3.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%6.4–10.2 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.4–5.6 | 2.9% | 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 New Hampshire figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Freedom
Is Freedom a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Freedom is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Freedom?
CDC estimates 32% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.7% and 37.5%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Freedom?
The Memorial Hospital in North Conway, 15.3 miles in a straight line from Freedom’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Freedom have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.5–9.3%), 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 Freedom 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 Freedom.
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.