Morris Plains Station · Photo: Robert Mortell · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Morris Plains is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Morris Plains differs from New Jersey on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 22 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Morris Plains. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Morris Plains
Morris Plains is an active town
Only 15.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across New Jersey. Habits ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Morris Plains doesn’t win on
18.7% of adults binge drink, vs 15.5% across New Jersey, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Morris Plains keeps up with checkups
It beats New Jersey on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (77% vs 65.9%) and cholesterol checks (91.6% vs 89.1%). Checkups ↓
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 Morris Plains’ likely range.
What’s behind Morris Plains’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Morris Plains is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #24 of 468 in New Jersey. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than almost every town); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 96%.
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). Morris Plains’ median household income is $154,923; among the 2,456 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($116K–$194K), it’s healthier than 99%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
1.6 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Morris Plains adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
Out of every 100 Morris Plains adults…
Morris Plains runs below NJ on 7 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Morris Plains
No hospital or community health center in Morris Plains 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 Morris Plains; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Morris Plains adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Morris Plains does better than New Jersey.
3 in 10 Morris Plains 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.
3.3% of Morris Plains adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Morris Plains and the towns around it
Morris Plains has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morris Plains | A+ | 21.8% | 7.6% | 7.2% | CDC place |
| Parsippany-Troy Hills Township | A+ | 19.9% | 9% | 7.8% | ZIP codes |
| Morris Township | A+ | 23.5% | 8.4% | 8.1% | ZIP codes |
| Hanover Township | A+ | 21.8% | 8.8% | 8.1% | ZIP codes |
| Cedar Knolls | — | — | — | — |
Cedar Knolls: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Morris Plains adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Morris Plains
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Morris Plains is better than New Jersey on 22 and worse on 2; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Morris Plains’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Morris Plains | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10.5%8.9–12.3 | 17.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.2%8–10.6 | 12.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%10.9–14.2 | 14.7% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 21.8%18.4–25.6 | 28.9% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.6%6.5–8.7 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.2%26.3–32.1 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.9%35.7–42.1 | 39.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.1%18.8–23.4 | 22.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 8.4%7.5–9.5 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.4–10 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.6%4–5.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.7%3–4.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 3.6%2.9–4.6 | 9.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.2%5.7–8.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.9%13.4–18.8 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.7%16.1–21.4 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.5%27.5–35.8 | 37.5% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.9%4.9–7.2 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%76–81.5 | 78% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77%74.5–79.4 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.6%90.2–92.7 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.7%73.8–79.3 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.9%66.9–74.7 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79%73.1–84.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.3%13.3–17.7 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30%26.3–33.8 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.5%16.9–22.5 | 24% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.2%5–7.5 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.2%5.2–7.4 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.2%3.6–4.9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.3%2.5–4.2 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 18.6%16–21.4 | 24.8% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.7%6.4–9 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.5%7.3–10 | 11.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5%4.3–5.6 | 5.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.8%2.4–3.2 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.5%3.9–5.3 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2%1.8–2.4 | 3.3% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Morris Plains
Is Morris Plains a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Morris Plains is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #24 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Morris Plains?
CDC estimates 21.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.4% and 25.6%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Morris Plains?
Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, 2.9 miles in a straight line from Morris Plains’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Morris Plains have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–7.2%), 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 Morris Plains more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Morris Plains.
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.