Photo: D-Day · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Boston is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Boston differs from New York on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 14025, 14075, 14033, 14057. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Boston
Boston keeps up with checkups
It beats New York on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.6% vs 80.8%) and dentist visits (69.3% vs 63.5%). Checkups ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Boston
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.3%), vs 7.7% across New York. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.3%), vs 24% across New York. In all, Boston runs above New York on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Fewer Boston adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below New York. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 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 York figure falls outside Boston’s likely range; Boston’s figures come from ZIP codes 14025, 14075, 14033, 14057, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Boston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Boston is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #195 of 755 in New York. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 88% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 76%.
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). Boston’s median household income is $92,482; among the 9,651 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$116K), it’s healthier than 90%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Boston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
Out of every 100 Boston adults…
Boston runs below NY on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.4% of Boston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Care in and near Boston
No hospital or community health center in Boston 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 Boston; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
12 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Boston adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Boston runs above New York.
3 in 10 Boston 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.
Boston and the towns around it
Boston’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | A | 30.7% | 9.6% | 11% | ZIP codes |
| Orchard Park | A | 29% | 9.1% | 9.1% | ZIP codes |
| Hamburg | A | 30.7% | 9.4% | 11% | ZIP codes |
| Eden | A− | 31.3% | 10.1% | 11.8% | ZIP codes |
| Colden | A− | 32% | 10.4% | 12.4% | ZIP codes |
| Concord | B+ | 32.2% | 10.5% | 13.2% | ZIP codes |
| North Boston | — | — | — | — | |
| North Collins | B− | 33.5% | 11.4% | 15% | ZIP codes |
North Boston: 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 Boston adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Boston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Boston is better than New York on 14 and worse on 3; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Boston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Boston | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.3%12.3–16.4 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.9–14 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%13–16.5 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.7%26.5–34.8 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.6%8.3–11 | 11.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.2%29.1–35.3 | 32.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.7%35.4–42 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.3%26.5–32 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.4 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.3–11.3 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.4%5.5–7.3 | 6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.8%8.9–12.9 | 12.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11%9.2–13 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.3%18.2–24.5 | 25.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.5%15.8–21.3 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.9%31.3–38.6 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.2%3.4–5.1 | 7.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.6%81–85.8 | 80.8% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.3%66.6–71.8 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.1%89.7–92.3 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%76.9–82.4 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.8%68.3–75.1 | 66.8% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.5%76.8–85.6 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.8%18.2–23.5 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 28.4%24.8–32.1 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%17.8–23.6 | 26.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.5%7–10.1 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.2%6.9–9.6 | 14.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.1%4.4–6 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.4%6–8.8 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.6%19.7–25.6 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.5%9.8–13.1 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.2%8.9–11.6 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.3–6.8 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–4 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.6–3.4 | 3.8% | 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 York figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Boston
Is Boston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Boston is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #195 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Boston?
CDC estimates 30.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.5% and 34.8%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Boston?
Bertrand Chaffee Hospital in Springville, 11.1 miles in a straight line from Boston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Boston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.4–5.1%), against 7.9% across New York.
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 Boston 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 Boston.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New York 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.