Grace Episcopal Church · Photo: Zeete · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Plainfield is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns
Plainfield differs from New Jersey on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 23 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Plainfield. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Plainfield
Making ends meet is harder in Plainfield
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (33.2%), more than twice the New Jersey rate. Utility shut-off threats (15.9% vs 7%) and housing insecurity (27.7% vs 12.3%) are higher too. 22.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 8.4% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 4 working-age adults in Plainfield has no health insurance
27% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 11.3% across New Jersey. Checkups ↓
Dental care lags in Plainfield
51.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 65.9% across New Jersey. Among those 65 and older, 17.7% have lost all their teeth (New Jersey 9.6%). 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 Plainfield’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Plainfield’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Plainfield is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns, #445 of 468 in New Jersey. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 51% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Plainfield’s median household income is $85,908; among the 10,321 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$107K), it’s healthier than 10%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Most New Jersey towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Plainfield is healthier than 5% of graded towns, against 23% nationally.
Where Plainfield compares well: arthritis, 18.9% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.4% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
22.7% of Plainfield adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Keeping up with care
Share of Plainfield adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
Out of every 100 Plainfield adults…
Plainfield runs below NJ on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Plainfield residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across New Jersey. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Plainfield
1 community health center in Plainfield, 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 Plainfield; ≈ 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.
1.7 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Plainfield adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Plainfield runs above New Jersey.
2 in 5 Plainfield 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.
Plainfield and the towns around it
Plainfield’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plainfield | C− | 36.1% | 14.4% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| North Plainfield | B− | 35.4% | 12.7% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| Watchung | A+ | 24% | 9.4% | 6.9% | CDC place |
| Green Brook Township | B+ | 30.9% | 11.3% | 11.6% | ZIP codes |
| Scotch Plains Township | A+ | 24.1% | 8.3% | 7.8% | ZIP 07076 |
| Dunellen | C | 37.7% | 12.8% | 15% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Plainfield adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Plainfield
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Plainfield is better than New Jersey on 2 and worse on 23; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Plainfield’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Plainfield | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.6%25–30.5 | 17.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%14–17.4 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16.1–20 | 14.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.1%31.2–41.3 | 28.9% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.4%12.7–16.2 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.3%33.3–39.5 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%32.7–39.4 | 39.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 18.9%16.8–21.1 | 22.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.2 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.4%4–4.9 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.2–6.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6%5.4–6.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.7–4.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.7%14.7–21 | 9.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.5%13.6–17.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.6%30.8–38.6 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.1%12–16.6 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 45.6%41–50.3 | 37.5% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 27%24.5–29.7 | 11.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.7%71.6–77.9 | 78% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.6%48.3–54.8 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.6%82.8–86.4 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.2%72.6–77.8 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.7%53.2–62.2 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.8%67–79.9 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 14.3%12.2–16.7 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38%34.2–42 | 32.4% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32.7%29.3–36.3 | 24% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 33.2%30.1–36.4 | 14.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 27.7%24.9–30.6 | 12.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.9%14.1–17.8 | 7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.8%14.2–17.5 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22.7%20.2–25.5 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.4%29–36.1 | 24.8% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.5%13.7–17.3 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%15.1–18.7 | 11.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.6–5.9 | 5.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 9.1%8.4–9.9 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.3%9.3–11.4 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6%5.5–6.5 | 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 Plainfield
Is Plainfield a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Plainfield is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #445 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 10%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Plainfield?
CDC estimates 36.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.2% and 41.3%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Plainfield?
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Rahway in Rahway, 6.5 miles in a straight line from Plainfield’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Plainfield have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 27% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 24.5–29.7%), 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 Plainfield 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 Plainfield.
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.