Photo: Alansohn · CC BY-SA 4.0Within New Jersey, New Brunswick is healthier than 6% of graded towns
New Brunswick differs from New Jersey on 27 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for New Brunswick. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in New Brunswick
Every town around New Brunswick scores healthier
All six graded neighbors are ahead of New Brunswick’s C, from North Brunswick Township (B+) to Highland Park (A+). Around town ↓
Dental care lags in New Brunswick
49.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 65.9% across New Jersey. Among those 65 and older, 22.7% have lost all their teeth (New Jersey 9.6%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in New Brunswick
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (33.9%), more than twice the New Jersey rate. No reliable transportation (17.3% vs 7.4%) and utility shut-off threats (14.8% vs 7%) are higher too. 22.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 8.4% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Cancer and arthritis are less common in New Brunswick
New Brunswick runs below New Jersey on five chronic conditions, most of all cancer (3% vs 7.5%), arthritis (14.8% vs 22.2%) and heart disease (4.3% vs 5.6%). A young population is part of it: only 6% of residents are 65 or older (New Jersey 17%). Conditions ↓
New Brunswick has three hospitals within its borders
3 hospitals and 1 community health center are inside New Brunswick. Getting care ↓
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 New Brunswick’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind New Brunswick’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New Brunswick is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #438 of 468 in New Jersey. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 65% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). New Brunswick’s median household income is $65,810; among the 10,063 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 39%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where New Brunswick compares well: high blood pressure, 27.8% (U.S. 34.4%); high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 30.5% (U.S. 37.1%); arthritis, 14.8% (U.S. 25.3%).
New Brunswick and the towns around it
New Brunswick’s Health Grade ranks 7th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Brunswick | C | 36.6% | 11.1% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Highland Park | A+ | 28.5% | 8.4% | 7.9% | CDC place |
| Edison Township | A | 24.6% | 10.7% | 8.4% | ZIP codes |
| Franklin Township | A | 26.2% | 10.5% | 7.9% | ZIP codes |
| East Brunswick Township | A | 27.2% | 10.3% | 8.6% | ZIP codes |
| East Franklin | — | — | — | — | |
| Piscataway Township | A | 26.3% | 9.5% | 8.2% | ZIP 08854 |
| North Brunswick Township | B+ | 31.7% | 11.3% | 10.8% | ZIP codes |
East Franklin: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Keeping up with care
Share of New Brunswick 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.
22.6% of New Brunswick adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Out of every 100 New Brunswick adults…
New Brunswick runs below NJ on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 6% of New Brunswick residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across New Jersey. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near New Brunswick
3 hospitals and 1 community health center in New Brunswick, 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 New Brunswick; ≈ 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.
8.5 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
How New Brunswick adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, New Brunswick runs above New Jersey.
2 in 5 New Brunswick 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 New Brunswick adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for New Brunswick
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, New Brunswick is better than New Jersey on 6 and worse on 21; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside New Brunswick’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | New Brunswick | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.6%24.9–30.2 | 17.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.7–15.7 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.9%18.8–23 | 14.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.6%32.4–40.8 | 28.9% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.9–12.3 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 27.8%25.5–30.3 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.5%28–33.1 | 39.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 14.8%13.3–16.3 | 22.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.6–10.8 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3%2.7–3.3 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.3%3.9–4.8 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–2.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.7%19.2–26.4 | 9.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.6–16.3 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35.5%31.8–39.1 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.9–18.7 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.5%39.3–47.7 | 37.5% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 24.7%22.2–27.3 | 11.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.2%68.8–75.3 | 78% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49.2%46.1–52.4 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 76.9%74.4–79.3 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 64.1%61.4–66.6 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 49.6%45.3–53.8 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.6%61.5–75.1 | 75.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.1%13.9–18.3 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 41.6%37.9–45.3 | 32.4% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.6%26.5–32.7 | 24% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 33.9%30.7–37.2 | 14.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 25.7%23.2–28.4 | 12.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.8%13.1–16.6 | 7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 17.3%15.6–19.2 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22.6%20.1–25.2 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.2%30.8–37.6 | 24.8% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.8%11.5–14.2 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.1%18–22.2 | 11.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 5.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 8.8%8–9.5 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.8–12.1 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.5–5.4 | 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 New Brunswick
Is New Brunswick a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, New Brunswick is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #438 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 39%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in New Brunswick?
CDC estimates 36.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.4% and 40.8%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to New Brunswick?
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, 0.2 miles in a straight line from New Brunswick’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in New Brunswick have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 24.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 22.2–27.3%), 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 New Brunswick more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in New Brunswick.
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.