Photo: User:Accurizer · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Jackson is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns
Jackson differs from New Hampshire on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03846. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Jackson
Heart disease, cancer and stroke run high in Jackson
1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 6% across New Hampshire. 1 in 7 adults have had cancer (13.6%), vs 9.8% across New Hampshire. Stroke is also above the state: 4.3%, vs 3.1% across New Hampshire. In all, Jackson runs above New Hampshire on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (New Hampshire 20%), and heart disease, cancer and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Jackson’s lead shrinks
Jackson is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns, but 55% of the 6,020 towns with similar household incomes ($88K–$147K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Jackson, and more people treating it
38.6% of adults have high blood pressure (New Hampshire 33%), but 83.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.8% statewide. Checkups ↓
Jackson keeps up with checkups
It beats New Hampshire on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (81.5% vs 77.8%) and dentist visits (72.9% vs 68.8%). Checkups ↓
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 Jackson’s likely range; Jackson’s figures come from ZIP code 03846, 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 Jackson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jackson is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 94% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 51%.
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). Jackson’s median household income is $117,986; among the 6,020 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($88K–$147K), it’s healthier than 55%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Jackson adults…
Jackson runs above NH on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Jackson is an older town: 28% 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 Jackson as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Jackson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
Care in and near Jackson
No hospital or community health center in Jackson 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 Jackson; ≈ 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.
113 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
How Jackson adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Jackson does better than New Hampshire.
1 in 4 Jackson 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.
6.3% of Jackson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Jackson and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 Jackson adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Jackson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Jackson is better than New Hampshire on 7 and worse on 8; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Jackson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Jackson | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.7%12.8–18.9 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.4–15.8 | 11.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.1–15 | 15.3% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.6%26.3–36.8 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12%10.1–14 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 38.6%34.7–42.4 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.4%37.6–45.2 | 35.2% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 35.6%32–39.1 | 27.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.7–11.1 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.6%12.3–15 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.7–10.4 | 6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.2%6.5–10.1 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.6–5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.2%6.6–10 | 8.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.7%7.9–13.5 | 10.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21%16.9–25.4 | 20.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.1%10.9–15.5 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30%25.6–34.4 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.4%4–7.1 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.5%78.6–84.2 | 77.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.9%69.8–75.7 | 68.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.9%90.4–93.2 | 88.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.9%81.2–86.4 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.5%72.6–80 | 69.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.9%71.8–83.1 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.9%17.9–23.9 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26.4%22.8–30.6 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.6%15.6–22.4 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.2%6–11 | 9.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.6%5–8.4 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.8%3.8–6 | 5.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.9%4–6 | 5.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.3%4.4–8.7 | 6.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27%22.7–31.4 | 26.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.3%11.6–17.2 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.4%8.7–12.4 | 12% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10%8.7–11.5 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%3.7–5.3 | 3.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%5.7–8.2 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3–4.4 | 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 Jackson
Is Jackson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Jackson is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 55%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Jackson?
CDC estimates 31.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.3% and 36.8%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Jackson?
The Memorial Hospital in North Conway, 8.9 miles in a straight line from Jackson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Jackson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4–7.1%), 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 Jackson 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 Jackson.
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.