Photo: Freeholdman12 · CC BY 4.0Within New Jersey, Spotswood is healthier than 35% of graded towns
Spotswood differs from New Jersey on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Spotswood. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Spotswood
New Jersey sets a high bar
Spotswood is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, but only 35% of the 468 New Jersey towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Cancer runs high in Spotswood
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (8.8%), vs 7.5% across New Jersey. Conditions ↓
Fewer Spotswood adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below New Jersey. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Spotswood’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Spotswood’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Spotswood is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #303 of 468 in New Jersey. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 77% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 63%.
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). Spotswood’s median household income is $105,060; among the 7,836 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($79K–$131K), it’s healthier than 65%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6.1% of Spotswood adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Out of every 100 Spotswood adults…
Spotswood runs above NJ on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Spotswood
No hospital or community health center in Spotswood 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 Spotswood; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Spotswood adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
How Spotswood adults are doing
About the same as New Jersey on each measure.
1 in 3 Spotswood 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.
Spotswood and the towns around it
Spotswood’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotswood | A− | 31.7% | 10.7% | 11.7% | CDC place |
| Monroe Township | A− | 27.1% | 12.5% | 8% | ZIP 08831 |
| Old Bridge Township | A− | 31.2% | 10.8% | 11% | ZIP codes |
| Old Bridge | — | — | — | — | |
| East Brunswick Township | A | 27.2% | 10.3% | 8.6% | ZIP codes |
| Helmetta | A | 31.2% | 8.3% | 10.4% | CDC place |
Old Bridge: 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 Spotswood adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Spotswood
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Spotswood is better than New Jersey on 5 and worse on 2; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Spotswood’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Spotswood | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.8%14.6–19.3 | 17.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.8–14 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.5–17.2 | 14.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.7%27.6–36 | 28.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.7%9.3–12.2 | 10.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.1%32.1–38.1 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.2%37.1–43.3 | 39.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.2%22.8–27.7 | 22.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.4–10.5 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.8%8–9.7 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%4.9–6.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11%9–13.1 | 9.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.7%9.8–13.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.8%20.6–27.4 | 24.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%14.2–18.8 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.2%33.3–41.4 | 37.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.7%7.2–10.5 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.3%76.4–81.8 | 78% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.9%63.9–69.7 | 65.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.8%88.2–91.1 | 89.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.8%74.9–80.4 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.8%62.7–70.7 | 63.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.3%65.5–78.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.6%13.5–17.8 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.9%29.3–36.6 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.2%19.4–25.2 | 24% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.8%9–13 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.6%8–11.2 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.4%4.6–6.3 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6%5.2–7 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.1%4.9–7.5 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.2%23.1–29.5 | 24.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.9%10.2–13.7 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.7%10.2–13.3 | 11.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.4–7 | 5.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.6%5.7–7.6 | 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 Spotswood
Is Spotswood a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Spotswood is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #303 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 65%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Spotswood?
CDC estimates 31.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.6% and 36%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Spotswood?
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, 6.7 miles in a straight line from Spotswood’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Spotswood have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–10.5%), 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 Spotswood 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 Spotswood.
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.