Photo: Dough4872 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Belmar is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Belmar differs from New Jersey on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Belmar. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Belmar
New Jersey sets a high bar
Belmar is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, but only 60% of the 468 New Jersey towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Belmar is an active town
Only 18.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across New Jersey. Habits ↓
Cancer runs high in Belmar
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (8.9%), vs 7.5% across New Jersey. Conditions ↓
Fewer Belmar adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below New Jersey. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Jersey figure falls outside Belmar’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Belmar’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Belmar is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, #189 of 468 in New Jersey. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 89% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 79%.
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). Belmar’s median household income is $93,573; among the 9,509 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($70K–$117K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
Most New Jersey towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Belmar is healthier than 60% of graded towns, against 91% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
2 miles of trails across 5 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.
5.5% of Belmar adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Out of every 100 Belmar adults…
Belmar runs below NJ on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Belmar
No hospital or community health center in Belmar 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 Belmar; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Belmar adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
How Belmar adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Belmar does better than New Jersey.
3 in 10 Belmar 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.
Belmar and the towns around it
Belmar’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belmar | A | 31.2% | 9.2% | 9.9% | CDC place |
| Neptune Township | B+ | 34.1% | 12% | 11.2% | ZIP codes |
| Avon-by-the-Sea | A+ | 27.6% | 8.6% | 6.7% | CDC place |
| Shark River Hills | — | — | — | — | |
| Wall Township | A | 30.1% | 9.5% | 9.2% | ZIP codes |
| West Belmar | — | — | — | — | |
| Spring Lake | A+ | 25.8% | 9.3% | 5.5% | CDC place |
| Lake Como | A− | 33.5% | 10.1% | 11.2% | CDC place |
Shark River Hills and West Belmar: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Belmar adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Belmar
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Belmar is better than New Jersey on 13 and worse on 1; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Belmar’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Belmar | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.1%12–16.7 | 17.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.1%9.6–12.8 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.5–16.3 | 14.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.2%27.1–35.4 | 28.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.2%7.9–10.7 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.7%29–34.6 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39%36–42.1 | 39.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24%21.6–26.4 | 22.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.1%8–10.1 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8.1–9.8 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5–6.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.1%4.3–6.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.5–3.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9%7.4–10.9 | 9.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.9%8–12.3 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.9%15.9–22.3 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.2%14.8–19.8 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.4%28.5–36.6 | 37.5% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%6.7–10.3 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.2%75.2–80.8 | 78% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71%68.1–73.7 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.8%88.1–91.3 | 89.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%74.7–80.2 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.1%69.3–76.5 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.7%71.9–82.8 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.4%13.3–17.6 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.7%24.5–31.3 | 32.4% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.2%15.7–21 | 24% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.2%7.3–11.4 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.5%6.9–10.2 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.4–6.2 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.5%4.6–6.5 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.5%4.2–7.1 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.5%19.4–26 | 24.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.6%8–11.4 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.7%9.2–12.6 | 11.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.8%5–6.6 | 5.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.2–4.2 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%5–6.9 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.4–3.3 | 3.3% | 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 Jersey figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Belmar
Is Belmar a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Belmar is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns: A for health, #189 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Belmar?
CDC estimates 31.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.1% and 35.4%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Belmar?
Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Belmar’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Belmar have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.7–10.3%), against 11.3% across New Jersey.
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 Belmar 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 Belmar.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Jersey 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.