Photo: Ascended Dreamer · CC BY-SA 4.0Within New Hampshire, Lancaster is healthier than 5% of graded towns
Lancaster differs from New Hampshire on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03584. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lancaster
New Hampshire sets a high bar
Lancaster is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, but only 5% of the 126 New Hampshire towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, stroke and diabetes run high in Lancaster
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9%), vs 6.2% across New Hampshire. 1 in 24 adults have had a stroke (4.2%), vs 3.1% across New Hampshire. Diabetes is also above the state: 12.5%, vs 9.4% across New Hampshire. In all, Lancaster runs above New Hampshire on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (New Hampshire 20%), and COPD, stroke and diabetes are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Lancaster adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (26.8%), vs 20.7% across New Hampshire. There are 25 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Lancaster
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (12.3%), vs 9.5% across New Hampshire. No reliable transportation (7.1% vs 5.6%) and utility shut-off threats (6.6% vs 5.4%) are higher too. 9.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 6.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Lancaster is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Lancaster is healthier than 52%. Against the 10,456 towns with similar household incomes ($52K–$86K), it’s healthier than 67%. 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 Lancaster’s likely range; Lancaster’s figures come from ZIP code 03584, 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 Lancaster’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lancaster is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, #120 of 126 in New Hampshire. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 66% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). Lancaster’s median household income is $68,911; among the 10,456 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($52K–$86K), it’s healthier than 67%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Lancaster adults…
Lancaster runs above NH on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Lancaster 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 Lancaster as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
25 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.9% of Lancaster adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Care in and near Lancaster
1 hospital in Lancaster, 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 Lancaster; ≈ 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 Lancaster adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Lancaster adults are doing
About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.
1 in 3 Lancaster 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.
Lancaster and the towns around it
Lancaster’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | B− | 35.9% | 12.5% | 14.2% | ZIP 03584 |
| Lancaster | — | — | — | — | |
| Northumberland | C | 37.8% | 13.6% | 17% | ZIP codes |
| Dalton | — | — | — | — | |
| Jefferson | A− | 33% | 11.1% | 10.9% | ZIP 03583 |
Lancaster: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Dalton: 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 Lancaster adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lancaster
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lancaster is better than New Hampshire on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Lancaster’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lancaster | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.2%16.6–22.1 | 14.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.5–16.2 | 11.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.3–18.2 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.9%30.4–42 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.8–14.3 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.1%33.5–40.7 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%34.3–41.7 | 35.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.2%30.1–36.5 | 27.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.4–13.2 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.9%9.8–11.9 | 9.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%7.1–8.9 | 6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9%7.8–10.4 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.8%12.3–17.4 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%11.9–16.7 | 10.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.8%22.9–31 | 20.7% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%11.9–17.3 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31%26.2–35.6 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%6.2–9.5 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%75.7–82.1 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.1%61.7–68.2 | 68.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.9%86–89.6 | 88.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80%77.2–82.6 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.1%64.6–73 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.5%67.9–80.2 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%20.1–26.7 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.6%27.5–35.7 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.3%19–25.6 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.3%10–14.8 | 9.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.3%7.7–11.1 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.6–7.7 | 5.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6–8.2 | 5.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.9%8–12.1 | 6.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.2%29.4–37.3 | 26.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.6%13.5–18 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.2%12.5–16.3 | 12% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.3–10.5 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.6–5.9 | 3.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.6–10 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.6–4.7 | 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 Lancaster
Is Lancaster a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lancaster is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #120 of 126 in New Hampshire. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 67%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lancaster?
CDC estimates 35.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.4% and 42%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lancaster?
Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster, 1.1 miles in a straight line from Lancaster’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Lancaster have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.2–9.5%), 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster.
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.