Franklin Pierce Homestead · Photo: User:Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0Within New Hampshire, Hillsborough is healthier than 17% of graded towns
Hillsborough trails New Hampshire on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03244. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hillsborough
New Hampshire sets a high bar
Hillsborough is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns, but only 17% of the 126 New Hampshire towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
More Hillsborough adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (24.2%), vs 20.7% across New Hampshire. There are 44 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Smoking is more common in Hillsborough
1 in 8 adults smoke cigarettes (13.2%), vs 10.8% across New Hampshire. Habits ↓
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 Hillsborough’s likely range; Hillsborough’s figures come from ZIP code 03244, 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 Hillsborough’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hillsborough is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns, #105 of 126 in New Hampshire. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 79% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 55%.
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). Hillsborough’s median household income is $84,495; among the 10,439 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$106K), it’s healthier than 72%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
44 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Hillsborough adults…
Hillsborough runs above NH on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Hillsborough
No hospital or community health center in Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Hillsborough adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Hillsborough adults are doing
About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.
1 in 3 Hillsborough 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.
7.8% of Hillsborough adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Hillsborough and the towns around it
Hillsborough’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough · Deering | B+ | 35.5% | 10.1% | 13.2% | ZIP 03244 |
| Hillsborough | — | — | — | — | |
| Henniker | A | 29.8% | 6.2% | 8.3% | ZIP 03242 |
| Washington | B+ | 33.1% | 11.7% | 12.8% | ZIP 03280 |
| Antrim | B+ | 34.8% | 10.5% | 12.4% | ZIP codes |
| Bradford | A | 33.6% | 9.5% | 10.4% | ZIP 03221 |
| Windsor | — | — | — | — |
Hillsborough and Deering share one ZIP estimate, so they share a row. Hillsborough: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Windsor: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hillsborough adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hillsborough
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hillsborough is better than New Hampshire on 0 and worse on 5; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Hillsborough’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hillsborough | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.4%14.6–18.3 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.9%11.6–14.3 | 11.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15.1–18.6 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%31.2–39.8 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.1%9–11.3 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.9%31.2–36.5 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.6%32.8–38.2 | 35.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.5%26.2–30.7 | 27.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%10.2–12.5 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.6–10.1 | 9.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7%6.2–7.8 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.2%10.1–14.7 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%11.4–15.2 | 10.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24.2%21.2–27.2 | 20.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16%13.9–18.3 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.4%31.3–39.8 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7%5.8–8.2 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.7%74.9–80.2 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.5%63.3–69.6 | 68.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.8%86.3–89.4 | 88.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%74.8–79.8 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.9%66.2–73.6 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%73.7–83.6 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%20.6–25.7 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.2%29.9–36.5 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%21.3–27 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.9%9.2–12.6 | 9.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.3%7.9–10.8 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.4%5.5–7.4 | 5.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.3%5.5–7.1 | 5.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.8%6.4–9.2 | 6.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.3%25.5–31.1 | 26.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.5%11.1–14 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%12.1–15.2 | 12% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.5–8 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 3.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.8–8.4 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%3–3.7 | 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 Hillsborough
Is Hillsborough a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hillsborough is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #105 of 126 in New Hampshire. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 72%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Hillsborough?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults (the figure for ZIP code 03244, which Hillsborough shares with Deering) have obesity, likely between 31.2% and 39.8%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hillsborough?
Monadnock Community Hospital in Peterborough, 17.6 miles in a straight line from Hillsborough’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hillsborough have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–8.2%), 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 Hillsborough more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A. The figures are ZIP code 03244’s, shared with Deering.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Hillsborough.
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.