Photo: LittleGun · CC BY-SA 3.0Within New Jersey, Union Beach is healthier than 53% of graded towns
Union Beach differs from New Jersey on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Union Beach. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Union Beach
New Jersey sets a high bar
Union Beach is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, but only 53% of the 468 New Jersey towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Union Beach doesn’t win on
18.3% of adults binge drink, vs 15.5% across New Jersey, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Union Beach is an active town
Only 19.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.8% across New Jersey. Habits ↓
Fewer Union Beach adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below New Jersey. 1 in 10 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 Union Beach’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Union Beach’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Union Beach is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, #220 of 468 in New Jersey. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 94% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 74%.
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). Union Beach’s median household income is $119,250; among the 5,841 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($89K–$149K), it’s healthier than 76%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
2.1 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.5% of Union Beach adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Out of every 100 Union Beach adults…
Union Beach runs below NJ on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Union Beach residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across New Jersey. Stroke and diabetes run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Union Beach
No hospital or community health center in Union Beach 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 Union Beach; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Union Beach adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
How Union Beach adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Union Beach does better than New Jersey.
3 in 10 Union Beach 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.
Union Beach and the towns around it
Union Beach 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Beach | A | 31.7% | 8.6% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Keansburg | B− | 36% | 10.8% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| Hazlet Township | A− | 31.6% | 9.8% | 12% | ZIP codes |
| Keyport | A− | 33.3% | 10.8% | 12% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Union Beach adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Union Beach
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Union Beach is better than New Jersey on 13 and worse on 1; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Union Beach’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Union Beach | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14%11.6–16.7 | 17.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.2%9.6–13 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.5–17.8 | 14.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.7%27.2–36.2 | 28.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.4–10 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.7%26.7–32.8 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.3%34.2–40.4 | 39.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.1%19.8–24.7 | 22.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%6.8–8.3 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.8%4.1–5.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.8%3.9–5.9 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.2–2.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.3%5.8–8.9 | 9.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.4%8.8–14.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.3%15.9–23 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%15.9–21.1 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.1%30–38.4 | 37.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.1%6.5–10 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.8%73.7–79.7 | 78% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.8%66.9–72.6 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.2%87.3–90.9 | 89.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.9%71.7–78 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.9%63.9–71.5 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%69.6–81.2 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.9%13.6–18.4 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.2%25.8–32.9 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.1%17.3–23.1 | 24% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.6%7.7–12 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.2%7.6–11 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.5%4.6–6.5 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%4.8–6.7 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.5%4.3–7.1 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22%18.7–25.5 | 24.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.9%7.4–10.7 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.5%9.6–13.5 | 11.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5%4.3–5.7 | 5.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3–4 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%5–7 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.3–3.2 | 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 Union Beach
Is Union Beach a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Union Beach is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns: A for health, #220 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 76%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Union Beach?
CDC estimates 31.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.2% and 36.2%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Union Beach?
Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, 3.2 miles in a straight line from Union Beach’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Union Beach have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–10%), 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 Union Beach 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 Union Beach.
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.