Photo: Fletcher6 · CC BY-SA 3.0Within New Hampshire, Wakefield is healthier than 18% of graded towns
Wakefield differs from New Hampshire on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 03872, 03830, 03887. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wakefield
New Hampshire sets a high bar
Wakefield is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, but only 18% of the 126 New Hampshire towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Wakefield
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.4%), vs 6.2% across New Hampshire. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.9%), vs 6% across New Hampshire. Stroke is also above the state: 4%, vs 3.1% across New Hampshire. In all, Wakefield runs above New Hampshire on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Wakefield’s lead shrinks
Wakefield is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, but 55% of the 8,445 towns with similar household incomes ($76K–$126K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. 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 Wakefield’s likely range; Wakefield’s figures come from ZIP codes 03872, 03830, 03887, 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 Wakefield’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wakefield is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, #103 of 126 in New Hampshire. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 75% of towns); the weakest is physical 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). Wakefield’s median household income is $100,976; among the 8,445 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$126K), it’s healthier than 55%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Wakefield adults…
Wakefield runs above NH on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Wakefield
No hospital or community health center in Wakefield 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 Wakefield; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
18 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Wakefield adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Wakefield adults are doing
About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.
3 in 10 Wakefield 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.
8.2% of Wakefield adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Wakefield and the towns around it
Wakefield’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wakefield | B+ | 32.9% | 11.2% | 13.3% | ZIP codes |
| Brookfield | — | — | — | — | |
| Effingham | B+ | 33.3% | 10.3% | 14.4% | ZIP codes |
| Milton | B | 35.7% | 10.3% | 14.2% | ZIP codes |
| Ossipee | B+ | 32.7% | 11.1% | 13.2% | ZIP codes |
| Middleton | A− | 34.1% | 9.5% | 12.5% | ZIP 03887 |
| Union | — | — | — | — |
Brookfield and Union: 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 Wakefield adults live with a disability (New Hampshire 26.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wakefield
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wakefield is better than New Hampshire on 1 and worse on 8; on the rest, the New Hampshire figure falls inside Wakefield’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wakefield | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.8%14.2–20 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.2–16.2 | 11.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.5–17.6 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.9%27.6–38.2 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.2%9.6–12.9 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.3%31.8–38.9 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%35–42 | 35.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.6%29.4–35.8 | 27.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.4%10.2–12.5 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%6.9–9 | 6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.4%7–9.9 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.5–4.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12%9.9–14.3 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%10.7–16.1 | 10.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.6%18.8–26.8 | 20.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%12.3–17.3 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.8%29.1–38.4 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.1%5.5–8.9 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.4%75.1–81.4 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.1%62.6–69.2 | 68.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%87.4–90.9 | 88.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81%78–83.6 | 76.8% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.2%66.8–75.1 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.7%70.3–82 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%19.8–26.1 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.6%25.6–33.7 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.6%18.4–25 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.7%8.5–13.2 | 9.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.7%7.1–10.4 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.9%4.9–7 | 5.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6%5–7.1 | 5.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.2%6.3–10.3 | 6.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.7%23.9–31.7 | 26.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%11.8–16.5 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.6%10.7–14.6 | 12% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.9%7.8–10.1 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4–5.4 | 3.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.5–8.8 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.2–4.4 | 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 Wakefield
Is Wakefield a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wakefield is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #103 of 126 in New Hampshire. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 55%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wakefield?
CDC estimates 32.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.6% and 38.2%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wakefield?
Huggins Hospital in Wolfeboro, 9.6 miles in a straight line from Wakefield’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wakefield have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–8.9%), 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 Wakefield 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 Wakefield.
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.