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Lincoln, New HampshirePhoto: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
≈ A−Health Grade
Health in Lincoln · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Lincoln is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns

Lincoln differs from New Hampshire on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 9 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 03251, 03215. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Lincoln

Heart disease, COPD and stroke run high in Lincoln

1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.2%), vs 6% across New Hampshire. 1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.4%), vs 6.2% across New Hampshire. Stroke is also above the state: 4%, vs 3.1% across New Hampshire. In all, Lincoln runs above New Hampshire on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (New Hampshire 20%), and heart disease, COPD and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

More high blood pressure in Lincoln, and more people treating it

38% of adults have high blood pressure (New Hampshire 33%), but 80.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.8% statewide. Checkups ↓

Lincoln is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Lincoln is healthier than 77%. Against the 10,563 towns with similar household incomes ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 92%. 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 Lincoln’s likely range; Lincoln’s figures come from ZIP codes 03251, 03215, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.

Health Grade

What’s behind Lincoln’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lincoln is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 89% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 51%.

B+Self-rated health16.8% · NH 14.5% · U.S. 19.4%
BPhysical distress13.5% · NH 11.7% · U.S. 13%
AMental distress14.1% · NH 15.3% · U.S. 15.9%
AObesity28% · NH 31.8% · U.S. 32.9%
B−Diabetes12% · NH 9.4% · U.S. 12%
B+Smoking12% smoke · NH 10.8% · U.S. 11.8%
B+Exercise21.8% · NH 20.7% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 77%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $53K–$88K (10,563)Healthier than 92%

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). Lincoln’s median household income is $70,625; among the 10,563 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 92%, more than its income alone would suggest.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Lincoln could be anywhere from C+ to A. The letter shows with “≈”. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 03251,03215), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Lincoln adults…

Lincoln runs above NH on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

8 of every 100 Lincoln adults have heart disease
New Hampshire: 6 in 100 · worse · likely 7–9.6%
Better than NHWorseAbout the sameNew Hampshire
Why age matters here

Lincoln 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 Lincoln as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Lincoln28%
New Hampshire20%
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Lincoln adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.

78%Yearly checkupNH 78%
66%Dentist visitNH 69%
90%Cholesterol checkNH 88%
69%Colon screeningNH 70%
76%MammogramNH 79%
81%Taking BP medsNH 77%
1 in 15
working-age adults has no health insurance
Lincoln 6.7% · New Hampshire 1 in 15 (6.8%)
Getting care

Care in and near Lincoln

1 community health center in Lincoln, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERLittleton Regional HealthcareLittleton · 18.1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyCottage Hospital★★★★★ · 19.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careMid-State Health CenterLincoln · 4.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.1 mi
Mid-State Health Center
2 sites · nearest in Lincoln
Sliding-scale feesIn Lincoln
Directions to nearest
15.8 mi
Ammonoosuc Community Health Services
5 sites · nearest in Littleton
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
18.1 mi
Littleton Regional Healthcare
Littleton · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
19.8 mi
Cottage Hospital
Woodsville · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
23.5 mi
Speare Memorial Hospital
Plymouth · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
24.7 mi
The Memorial Hospital
North Conway · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
! Primary careLincoln is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Northern Grafton · need score 15 of 25
! Dental careLincoln is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Northern Grafton · need score 12 of 25
! Mental healthLincoln is a federal shortage area.Grafton-SA · need score 13 of 25

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 Lincoln; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire

Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.

Get no exercise 21.8%NH 20.7%
Sleep under 7 hours 30.8%NH 32.9%
Binge drink 13.3%NH 15.7%
Smoke cigarettes 12%NH 10.8%
0%10%20%30%40%
Lincoln, betterLincoln, worseAbout the sameNew Hampshire
Mind & connection

How Lincoln adults are doing

About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.

3 in 10Lincoln adults feel lonely
28.8% · NH 30.6% · About the same as NH
1 in 5Lincoln adults lack social or emotional support
19.6% · NH 21.6% · About the same as NH
1 in 4Lincoln adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.2% · NH 22.7% · About the same as NH
1 in 7Lincoln adults are in frequent mental distress
14.1% · NH 15.3% · About the same as NH
The one neighbors can help with

3 in 10 Lincoln adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 10
Lincoln adults worry about having enough food
10.1% · NH 9.5%
About the same as NH
1 in 13
Lincoln adults worry about keeping their housing
7.7% · NH 8.1%
About the same as NH
1 in 18
Lincoln adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.6% · NH 5.4%
About the same as NH
1 in 16
Lincoln adults lack reliable transportation
6.1% · NH 5.6%
About the same as NH

7.8% of Lincoln adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.

Around town

Lincoln and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Easton: 26.8%Franconia: 26.3%Landaff: 28.8%Sugar Hill: 26.4%Bethlehem: 26.6%Lincoln: 28%LincolnEastonFranconiaLittleton Regional Healthcare · Littleton · 18.1 mi · 1★ MedicareHMid-State Health Center - Lincoln · Lincoln · 4.1 mi+Achs - Littleton · Littleton · 15.8 mi+
Healthier than NHNear NHLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#5 of 6 towns on this map, healthiest first
Franconia26.3%
Easton26.8%
Lincoln28%
NH31.8%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
LincolnA−28%12%12%ZIP codes
Easton————
FranconiaA26.3%11.6%10.1%ZIP 03580

Easton: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

28.6%

of Lincoln adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.4%
Thinking or memory12.2%
Hearing9.1%
Errands alone7.4%
Vision4.8%
Dressing or bathing4%
New Hampshire

Every CDC estimate for Lincoln

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lincoln is better than New Hampshire on 1 and worse on 9; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Lincoln’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…LincolnNHU.S.vs NH
Overall health
Fair or poor health16.8%13.8–20.514.5%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)13.5%11.5–15.811.7%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)14.1%12.1–16.315.3%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity28%23.1–33.231.8%32.9%About the same
Diabetes12%10.2–149.4%12%Worse
High blood pressure38%34.3–41.833%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)39.3%35.5–43.135.2%37.1%Worse
Arthritis34.3%31–37.827.6%25.3%Worse
Asthma10.6%9.3–1210.5%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer12%10.8–13.39.8%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease8.2%7–9.66%6.4%Worse
COPD8.4%6.7–10.46.2%6.3%Worse
Stroke4%3.4–4.73.1%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)17.5%14.6–20.68.9%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes12%9.1–15.310.8%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work21.8%17.7–26.420.7%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking13.3%11–15.815.7%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours30.8%26.4–35.532.9%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)6.7%4.8–96.8%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year77.7%74.2–80.977.8%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year66%62.7–69.368.8%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years89.6%87.6–91.388.3%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)80.5%77.2–83.376.8%76.5%Better
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)68.8%64.4–73.169.5%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)76.2%69.7–81.878.8%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression23.2%20–26.522.7%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely28.8%24.8–3330.6%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support19.6%16.4–2321.6%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food10.1%7.6–13.19.5%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing7.7%6.1–9.68.1%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off5.6%4.6–6.95.4%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation6.1%4.9–7.35.6%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)7.8%5.6–10.46.5%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability28.6%24.4–33.326.1%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs14.4%11.7–17.511.3%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering12.2%10–14.412%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty9.1%7.9–10.47.2%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty4.8%4–5.83.8%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone7.4%6.1–8.96.6%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing4%3.3–4.92.9%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 Lincoln

Is Lincoln a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lincoln is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 92%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Lincoln?

CDC estimates 28% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.1% and 33.2%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Lincoln?

Littleton Regional Healthcare in Littleton, 18.1 miles in a straight line from Lincoln’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.

How many people in Lincoln have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 6.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.8–9%), 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 Lincoln 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 Lincoln.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.