Photo: Dough4872 · CC BY-SA 4.0Within New Jersey, Ocean City is healthier than 49% of graded towns
Ocean City differs from New Jersey on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ocean City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ocean City
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Ocean City
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (13%), vs 7.5% across New Jersey. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (30.8%), vs 22.2% across New Jersey. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.6%, vs 5.6% across New Jersey. In all, Ocean City runs above New Jersey on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 34% of residents are 65 or older (New Jersey 17%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
New Jersey sets a high bar
Ocean City is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, but only 49% of the 468 New Jersey towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Ocean City keeps up with checkups
It beats New Jersey on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (82.8% vs 78%) and dentist visits (73.6% vs 65.9%). Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in Ocean City, and more people treating it
39% of adults have high blood pressure (New Jersey 32.8%), but 83.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
Ocean City is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its A tops all three graded neighbors. The closest is Upper Township (B+). Around town ↓
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 Ocean City’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Ocean City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ocean City is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #241 of 468 in New Jersey. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 96% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 65%.
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). Ocean City’s median household income is $101,782; among the 8,332 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$127K), it’s healthier than 84%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Ocean City adults…
Ocean City runs below NJ on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
Ocean City is an older town: 34% 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 Ocean City as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ocean City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
Ocean City and the towns around it
Ocean City 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean City | A | 31.2% | 11.1% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Upper Township | B+ | 33.7% | 10.6% | 12.8% | ZIP codes |
| Egg Harbor Township | B+ | 29% | 11.5% | 11.9% | ZIP codes |
| Strathmere | — | — | — | — | |
| Longport | — | — | — | — | |
| Somers Point | B− | 31.3% | 12.3% | 14.2% | CDC place |
Strathmere and Longport: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Ocean City
No hospital or community health center in Ocean City 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 Ocean City; ≈ 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.
2.9 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Ocean City adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Ocean City does better than New Jersey.
1 in 4 Ocean City 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.
4.8% of Ocean City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ocean City adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ocean City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ocean City is better than New Jersey on 16 and worse on 7; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Ocean City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ocean City | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.9%12.7–17.2 | 17.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%11–14.3 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%11.1–14.2 | 14.7% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.2%25.1–37.6 | 28.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.5–12.8 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39%34.8–43.1 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 47.2%42.7–51.6 | 39.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 30.8%27.4–34.2 | 22.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.2%8.1–10.4 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13%11.8–14.2 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.8–8.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.5%5.5–7.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.9%5.5–8.5 | 9.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.5%7.8–11.3 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.2%16.6–23.8 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%11.9–17.2 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.3%23.1–33.9 | 37.5% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.2%5.2–7.3 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.8%79.8–85.4 | 78% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.6%70.5–76.6 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.7%91.6–93.6 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.8%81.1–86.1 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.4%70–78.5 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.2%67.6–81.8 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.7%14.1–19.6 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 25.7%21.8–29.9 | 32.4% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.4%15.6–21.4 | 24% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.7%6.3–9.1 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.4%5.4–7.5 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4%3.4–4.7 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.5%3.9–5.2 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.8%3.9–5.8 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.5%21.8–29.2 | 24.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.9%11–14.9 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.5%8.3–10.9 | 11.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.8–8.7 | 5.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.4–4.3 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.2%5.4–7.1 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.7–3.5 | 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 Ocean City
Is Ocean City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ocean City is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #241 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 84%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ocean City?
CDC estimates 31.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.1% and 37.6%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ocean City?
Shore Medical Center in Somers Point, 3.5 miles in a straight line from Ocean City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ocean City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–7.3%), 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 Ocean City 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 Ocean City.
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.