Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 3.0Within New Jersey, Berkeley Township is healthier than 22% of graded towns
Berkeley Township differs from New Jersey on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 08721, 08757, 08752, 08759. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Berkeley Township
New Jersey sets a high bar
Berkeley Township is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, but only 22% of the 468 New Jersey towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, cancer and arthritis run high in Berkeley Township
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.5%), vs 5.1% across New Jersey. 1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 7.5% across New Jersey. Arthritis is also above the state: 32.5%, vs 22.2% across New Jersey. In all, Berkeley Township runs above New Jersey on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 43% of residents are 65 or older (New Jersey 17%), and COPD, cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Berkeley Township, and more people treating it
37.2% of adults have high blood pressure (New Jersey 32.8%), but 81.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Berkeley Township
1 in 8 adults smoke cigarettes (13.3%), vs 10.9% across New Jersey. Habits ↓
Berkeley Township is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Berkeley Township is healthier than 65%. Against the 10,095 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 86%. 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 Jersey figure falls outside Berkeley Township’s likely range; Berkeley Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 08721, 08757, 08752, 08759, 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 Berkeley Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Berkeley Township is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, #364 of 468 in New Jersey. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 87% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 43%).
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). Berkeley Township’s median household income is $66,008; among the 10,095 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 86%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Berkeley Township adults…
Berkeley Township runs above NJ on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Berkeley Township is an older town: 43% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across New Jersey. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Berkeley Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Berkeley Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
70 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Care in and near Berkeley Township
No hospital or community health center in Berkeley Township 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 Berkeley Township; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Berkeley Township adults are doing
About the same as New Jersey on each measure.
3 in 10 Berkeley Township 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.
6.7% of Berkeley Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Berkeley Township and the towns around it
Berkeley Township’s Health Grade ranks 7th of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley Township | B+ | 29.5% | 12.2% | 13.3% | ZIP codes |
| Lacey Township | A− | 28.9% | 9.9% | 13.3% | ZIP codes |
| Ocean Township | A− | 28% | 12% | 11.6% | ZIP codes |
| Pine Beach | A | 27.2% | 9.2% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Toms River Township | A− | 28.8% | 10.4% | 12.5% | ZIP codes |
| Toms River | — | — | — | — | |
| Beachwood | A− | 29.7% | 8.8% | 13.6% | CDC place |
| Holiday City South | — | — | — | — |
Toms River and Holiday City South: 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 Berkeley Township adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Berkeley Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Berkeley Township is better than New Jersey on 7 and worse on 9; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Berkeley Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Berkeley Township | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.8%15.8–19.9 | 17.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%13.1–16.2 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.9–16 | 14.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.5%25.6–33.7 | 28.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.2%10.8–13.8 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.2%34.2–40.2 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.8%41.6–48 | 39.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.5%29.8–35.2 | 22.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.3–10.4 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%10.1–12 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%7–8.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.5%6.6–8.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.7–4.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.8%8.8–13.2 | 9.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%11.6–15.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.6%23.5–29.8 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.6%11.7–15.8 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.1%31–39.5 | 37.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.1%7.7–10.4 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%76.8–81.8 | 78% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.9%65–70.8 | 65.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.6%89.4–91.8 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.4%79–83.7 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%62.8–71.1 | 63.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.7%70.6–82.1 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.6%13.6–17.8 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29%25.6–32.4 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.8%19.1–24.5 | 24% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.1%9.5–12.9 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.1%7.8–10.4 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.5%4.8–6.4 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.2%5.4–7 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.7%5.6–7.9 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.5%25.6–31.5 | 24.8% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.3%12.7–16.1 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.5%10.3–12.9 | 11.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.2–8.9 | 5.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.4–5.3 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.7–8.4 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.4–4.2 | 3.3% | 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 Jersey figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Berkeley Township
Is Berkeley Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Berkeley Township is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #364 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Berkeley Township?
CDC estimates 29.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.6% and 33.7%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Berkeley Township?
Community Medical Center in Toms River, 3.9 miles in a straight line from Berkeley Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Berkeley Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–10.4%), 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 Berkeley Township 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 Berkeley Township.
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.