Photo: Bostonian13 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Lee is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Lee differs from New Hampshire on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03861. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lee
Lee is an active town
Only 16.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 20.7% across New Hampshire. The town has 37 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Stroke and heart disease are less common in Lee
Lee runs below New Hampshire on stroke (2.5% vs 3.1%) and heart disease (4.9% vs 6%). Conditions ↓
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 Lee’s likely range; Lee’s figures come from ZIP code 03861, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Lee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lee is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #21 of 126 in New Hampshire. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 97% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 77%.
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). Lee’s median household income is $131,579; among the 4,384 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($99K–$164K), it’s healthier than 85%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
37 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Lee adults…
Lee runs below NH on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Lee
No hospital or community health center in Lee 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 Lee; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lee adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Lee adults are doing
About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.
1 in 3 Lee 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.
4.9% of Lee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Lee and the towns around it
Lee has the best Health Grade of the 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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee | A | 31.8% | 8.2% | 9% | ZIP 03861 |
| Durham | A | 28.1% | 4.4% | 7.8% | ZIP 03824 |
| Nottingham | A | 32.6% | 8.8% | 10.8% | ZIP 03290 |
| Newmarket | A | 31.2% | 7.8% | 9.4% | ZIP 03857 |
| Madbury | A | 31.5% | 8.3% | 9% | ZIP 03823 |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lee adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lee
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lee is better than New Hampshire on 6 and worse on 1; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Lee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lee | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.9%9.8–14.5 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.1%8.6–11.8 | 11.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13–17.5 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.8%27–36.9 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.2%7–9.7 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31%27.8–34.4 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%32.6–39.3 | 35.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.4%23.6–29.2 | 27.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.6 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.3–10.1 | 9.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.2–5.6 | 6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5%4–6.2 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.2–2.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.2%10–14.6 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9%6.7–11.8 | 10.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.4%13.3–20.1 | 20.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%14–19.4 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.1%23.4–31.2 | 32.9% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.1%3.8–6.6 | 6.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.5%75.3–81.3 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.2%74.6–79.6 | 68.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%87.6–91.1 | 88.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.8%70.3–76.9 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.7%63.7–71.5 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.1%77.2–86.4 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.6%21.6–27.9 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.4%27.7–35.3 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.7%17.6–24 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.4%5.6–9.6 | 9.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.9%5.4–8.7 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.7%3.8–5.7 | 5.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.6%3.8–5.7 | 5.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.9%3.5–6.7 | 6.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22%18.6–25.9 | 26.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.8%7.2–10.7 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.1%8.3–12.1 | 12% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.3–7 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.5–3.6 | 3.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.3%4.4–6.4 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%1.9–2.8 | 2.9% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Lee
Is Lee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lee is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #21 of 126 in New Hampshire. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 85%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lee?
CDC estimates 31.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 27% and 36.9%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lee?
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover, 9.3 miles in a straight line from Lee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.8–6.6%), 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 Lee more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lee.
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.