Photo: Public domain · Public domainWithin New Jersey, Lakewood Township is healthier than 10% of graded towns
Lakewood Township differs from New Jersey on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 08701. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lakewood Township
Every town around Lakewood Township scores healthier
All three graded neighbors are ahead of Lakewood Township’s C+, from Jackson Township (A−) to Howell Township (A). Around town ↓
Dental care lags in Lakewood Township
56.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 65.9% across New Jersey. Among those 65 and older, 16.3% have lost all their teeth (New Jersey 9.6%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Lakewood Township
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.2%), vs 14.3% across New Jersey. No reliable transportation (11.8% vs 7.4%) and utility shut-off threats (11% vs 7%) are higher too. 16.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 8.4% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Lakewood Township is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Lakewood Township is healthier than 44%. Against the 9,949 towns with similar household incomes ($49K–$81K), it’s healthier than 61%. 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 Lakewood Township’s likely range; Lakewood Township’s figures come from ZIP code 08701, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Lakewood Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lakewood Township is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, #419 of 468 in New Jersey. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 84% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Lakewood Township’s median household income is $65,101; among the 9,949 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$81K), it’s healthier than 61%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Lakewood Township compares well: high blood pressure, 28.9% (U.S. 34.4%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.3% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 143,765 residents, Lakewood Township is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Lakewood Township and the towns around it
Lakewood Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood Township | C+ | 32.6% | 9.7% | 16.8% | ZIP 08701 |
| Howell Township | A | 30.8% | 9.3% | 10.3% | ZIP codes |
| Lakewood | — | — | — | — | |
| Brick Township | A− | 28.8% | 10.1% | 12.2% | ZIP codes |
| Ramtown | — | — | — | — | |
| Leisure Village East | — | — | — | — | |
| Jackson Township | A− | 29.7% | 10.4% | 12.8% | ZIP codes |
Lakewood, Ramtown and Leisure Village East: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lakewood Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.2% of Lakewood Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Out of every 100 Lakewood Township adults…
Lakewood Township runs below NJ on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 9% of Lakewood Township residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across New Jersey. Cancer and diabetes run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Lakewood Township
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Lakewood Township, 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 Lakewood Township; ≈ 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 Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
8.8 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Lakewood Township adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Lakewood Township runs above New Jersey.
1 in 3 Lakewood 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lakewood Township adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lakewood Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lakewood Township is better than New Jersey on 4 and worse on 18; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Lakewood Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lakewood Township | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.6%18.5–22.8 | 17.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%13–15.9 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.8%17.9–21.9 | 14.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.6%28.6–36.9 | 28.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.6–10.8 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.9%26.5–31.4 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.2%32.4–38 | 39.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22.4%20.5–24.3 | 22.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.1 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%6–7.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.3%13.5–19.3 | 9.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.8%14.9–18.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.8%25.8–32 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.8%14.5–19.5 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.3%34.9–43.8 | 37.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.3%12.6–16.2 | 11.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.1%68.9–75.2 | 78% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.2%52.9–59.4 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.8%78.7–82.9 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.3%68.8–73.6 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59%54.7–63.3 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.3%66.8–79.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.3%16.9–21.9 | 15.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33.3%29.7–36.9 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.5%20.7–26.3 | 24% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.2%18.7–23.8 | 14.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.2%14.3–18.2 | 12.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11%9.7–12.5 | 7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.8%10.5–13.2 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.2%14.1–18.3 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.4%27.5–33.5 | 24.8% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.1%10.8–13.5 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%15.2–18.7 | 11.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.6–7 | 5.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.2%5.7–6.7 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10%9–11.1 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.8–4.5 | 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 Lakewood Township
Is Lakewood Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lakewood Township is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #419 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 61%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lakewood Township?
CDC estimates 32.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.6% and 36.9%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lakewood Township?
Monmouth Medical Center-Southern Campus in Lakewood, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Lakewood Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lakewood Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.6–16.2%), 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 Lakewood Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lakewood 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.