Photo: Jon Platek · CC BY-SA 3.0Within New Hampshire, Keene is healthier than 47% of graded towns
Keene differs from New Hampshire on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Keene. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Keene
New Hampshire sets a high bar
Keene is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, but only 47% of the 126 New Hampshire towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Keene has a top-rated hospital
Cheshire Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Keene’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Keene’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Keene is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #68 of 126 in New Hampshire. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, 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). Keene’s median household income is $78,445; among the 10,819 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$98K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Keene
1 hospital in Keene, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Keene; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Keene adults…
Keene runs below NH on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
81 miles of trails across 21 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Keene adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Keene adults are doing
About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.
1 in 3 Keene 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.
7.7% of Keene adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Keene and the towns around it
Keene’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keene | A | 28.6% | 8.2% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Roxbury | — | — | — | — | |
| Swanzey | B+ | 31.5% | 10.5% | 13.6% | ZIP 03446 |
| Sullivan | — | — | — | — | |
| Westmoreland | A | 29.2% | 10.2% | 10.4% | ZIP 03467 |
| Marlborough | A− | 31% | 10.3% | 12.9% | ZIP 03455 |
| Gilsum | — | — | — | — | |
| Marlborough | — | — | — | — |
Roxbury, Sullivan and Gilsum: fewer than 1,000 residents. Marlborough: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Keene adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Keene
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Keene is better than New Hampshire on 2 and worse on 4; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Keene’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Keene | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.9%13–17 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.8%10.5–13.4 | 11.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%15.1–19.3 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.6%24.1–33.9 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.2%7.1–9.4 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.6%26.8–32.8 | 33% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.4%27.4–33.7 | 35.2% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 26.2%23.8–29 | 27.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.6–12.2 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.5–10.3 | 9.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5.1–6.3 | 6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.2%5.5–7.1 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.5%9.4–14 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.8%9.3–12.6 | 10.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.7%16.8–23.2 | 20.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.7%14.1–19.9 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7%28.2–37.9 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.1%5.8–8.6 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.1%69.6–76.9 | 77.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66%62.8–69.4 | 68.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.7%82.5–86.8 | 88.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.6%71.8–77.5 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.3%65–73.5 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.2%71–83 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.7%21.6–28.3 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.5%27.5–35.4 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.1%19–25.1 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.6%8.8–12.5 | 9.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.6%7.2–10.1 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.9%5–6.8 | 5.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%5.8–7.9 | 5.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.7%6.3–9.3 | 6.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.4%25.1–32.2 | 26.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.8%9.4–12.4 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14%12.2–16 | 12% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.4–8.1 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.6–4.5 | 3.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.4%6.5–8.4 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 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 Keene
Is Keene a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Keene is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #68 of 126 in New Hampshire. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Keene?
CDC estimates 28.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.1% and 33.9%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Keene?
Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Keene’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Keene have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–8.6%), 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 Keene 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 Keene.
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.