Photo: Yclept Nemo · CC BY-SA 4.0Within New Jersey, Garwood is healthier than 52% of graded towns
Garwood differs from New Jersey on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Garwood. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Garwood
New Jersey sets a high bar
Garwood is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, but only 52% of the 468 New Jersey towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Fewer Garwood adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below New Jersey. 1 in 9 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 Garwood’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Garwood’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Garwood is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, #225 of 468 in New Jersey. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 91% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 77%.
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). Garwood’s median household income is $110,670; among the 7,033 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($83K–$138K), it’s healthier than 81%, 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.
6.2% of Garwood adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Out of every 100 Garwood adults…
Garwood runs below NJ on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Garwood
No hospital or community health center in Garwood 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 Garwood; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
0.5 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Garwood adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
How Garwood adults are doing
About the same as New Jersey on each measure.
1 in 3 Garwood 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.
Garwood and the towns around it
Garwood’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garwood | A | 27.1% | 9.2% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Cranford Township | A+ | 23.8% | 7.8% | 7.8% | ZIP 07016 |
| Westfield | A+ | 23% | 7.5% | 7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Garwood adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Garwood
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Garwood is better than New Jersey on 7 and worse on 1; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Garwood’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Garwood | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.9%12.4–18 | 17.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.3–14.1 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.2–17.6 | 14.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.1%22.8–31.8 | 28.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.2%7.9–10.7 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.8%28.6–35.2 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.3%35–42 | 39.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.2%18.8–23.9 | 22.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.2%8.1–10.4 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.7–9.5 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%4.8–6.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.4%4.2–6.6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.5–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.3%4.2–6.6 | 9.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.2%8.5–14.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.9%17.2–25 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.6–19.8 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.8%32.4–41.3 | 37.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.4%7.5–11.7 | 11.3% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.7%73.7–79.7 | 78% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.5%68.6–74.3 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.7%88–91.4 | 89.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%74.1–79.8 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.5%63.2–71.6 | 63.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74%67.1–80.1 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.1%14.5–19.8 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.1%27.2–35.2 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.3%19.1–25.9 | 24% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.7%8.4–13.5 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8–12.1 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%4.7–6.9 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6%5–7.3 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.2%4.6–8.2 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.5%20–27.4 | 24.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.1%8.2–12.1 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.1%9.3–13.1 | 11.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.1–6.8 | 5.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.4–4.7 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.3–7.6 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.5–3.5 | 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 Garwood
Is Garwood a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Garwood is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns: A for health, #225 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 81%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Garwood?
CDC estimates 27.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.8% and 31.8%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Garwood?
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Rahway in Rahway, 3.2 miles in a straight line from Garwood’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Garwood have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–11.7%), 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 Garwood 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 Garwood.
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.