Photo: Jon Platek · CC BY-SA 3.0Within New Hampshire, Nashua is healthier than 34% of graded towns
Nashua differs from New Hampshire on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Nashua. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Nashua
New Hampshire sets a high bar
Nashua is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns, but only 34% of the 126 New Hampshire towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Nashua
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (11.9%), vs 9.5% across New Hampshire. Housing insecurity (10.1% vs 8.1%) and utility shut-off threats (6.5% vs 5.4%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Nashua has a top-rated hospital
St. Joseph Hospital 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 Nashua’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Nashua’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nashua is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns, #83 of 126 in New Hampshire. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 87% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 66%.
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). Nashua’s median household income is $96,326; among the 9,124 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$120K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8% of Nashua adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Care in and near Nashua
2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Nashua, 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 Nashua; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Nashua adults…
Nashua 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.
46 miles of trails across 44 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Nashua adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Nashua adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Nashua runs above New Hampshire.
1 in 3 Nashua 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.
Nashua and the towns around it
Nashua’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashua | A− | 33.2% | 9.4% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Merrimack | A | 32% | 8.3% | 9.2% | ZIP 03054 |
| Hollis | A | 31.3% | 9.1% | 8.6% | ZIP 03049 |
| Hudson | A | 33% | 8.9% | 10.8% | ZIP 03051 |
| Hudson | — | — | — | — | |
| Litchfield | A | 31.8% | 8.4% | 9.6% | ZIP 03052 |
Hudson: 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 Nashua adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Nashua
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Nashua is better than New Hampshire on 2 and worse on 7; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Nashua’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Nashua | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.6%14.1–17.2 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%10.5–12.8 | 11.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%14–17 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.2%29.1–37.2 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.4%8.4–10.5 | 9.4% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31%28.6–33.4 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.9%31.3–36.5 | 35.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25%23–27 | 27.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.5–11.7 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.8–9.1 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.5%5–6 | 6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 6.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.7–3.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.8%9.8–14.1 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 10.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.3%20.7–25.8 | 20.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%13.7–17.9 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.5%31.4–39.8 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.8%7.6–10.1 | 6.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%74.4–79.7 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.5%63.4–69.5 | 68.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.6%86–88.9 | 88.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.1%73.5–78.4 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.7%64.9–72.3 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.6%74.4–84.1 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.1%18.8–23.5 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.5%30.4–36.7 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.6%22.1–27.3 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.9%10.5–13.4 | 9.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.1%8.8–11.5 | 8.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 5.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.6%5.9–7.4 | 5.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8%6.9–9.2 | 6.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.4%24–28.8 | 26.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.2%10.1–12.3 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.8%11.5–14.1 | 12% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%6–7.3 | 7.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.8–4.5 | 3.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.3–7.7 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.3 | 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 Nashua
Is Nashua a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nashua is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #83 of 126 in New Hampshire. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Nashua?
CDC estimates 33.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.1% and 37.2%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Nashua?
St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Nashua’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Nashua have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–10.1%), 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 Nashua 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 Nashua.
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.