Photo: AITFFan1 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Lawrence is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Lawrence differs from New York on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 23 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lawrence. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lawrence
Lawrence adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (29.3% vs 34.2%), frequent mental distress (12.3% vs 15%), lack of emotional support (19.9% vs 26.4%) and depression (14.7% vs 17.5%) all run below New York. Mind & connection ↓
Cancer runs high in Lawrence
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 7.7% across New York. Conditions ↓
Lawrence is an active town
Only 16.6% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.9% across New York. Habits ↓
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 Lawrence’s likely range.
What’s behind Lawrence’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lawrence is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #21 of 755 in New York. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than almost every town); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 95%.
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). Lawrence’s median household income is $170,000; among the 1,687 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($128K–$213K), it’s healthier than 95%, about where its income would put it.
How Lawrence adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, Lawrence does better than New York.
3 in 10 Lawrence 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Lawrence adults…
Lawrence runs below NY on 7 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Lawrence
No hospital or community health center in Lawrence 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 Lawrence; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lawrence adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
3.8% of Lawrence adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Lawrence and the towns around it
Lawrence has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence | A+ | 24.6% | 7.6% | 6% | CDC place |
| New York | B+ | 25.1% | 11.9% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Hempstead | A | 29.3% | 9.7% | 8.8% | ZIP codes |
| Inwood | — | — | — | — | |
| Woodmere | — | — | — | — | |
| Cedarhurst | A | 28.5% | 8.4% | 8.6% | CDC place |
| Woodsburgh | — | — | — | — | |
| Long Beach | A | 29% | 9.1% | 8.4% | CDC place |
Inwood and Woodmere: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Woodsburgh: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lawrence adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lawrence
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lawrence is better than New York on 23 and worse on 1; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Lawrence’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lawrence | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10.4%8.4–12.9 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.6%8.1–11.3 | 12.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.7–14.2 | 15% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.6%21.3–27.9 | 28.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.6%6.4–8.9 | 11.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.4%26.7–32 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.8%36–41.5 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24%21.6–26.3 | 24% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.6–10.7 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%9.9–12 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.5–6.2 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.2%3.2–5.3 | 6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.1–3 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6%4.9–7.3 | 12.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6%4.5–7.9 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.6%13.6–20.2 | 25.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%14.9–19.3 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.7%31.3–38.1 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.4%2.5–4.8 | 7.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.6%80.2–84.7 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.8%75.6–79.9 | 63.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.1%90.3–93.5 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.1%78.8–83.2 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 77.8%74.7–80.5 | 66.8% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.8%71.4–81.4 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 14.7%12.7–16.7 | 17.5% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 29.3%25.5–33 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.9%16.9–23.2 | 26.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.7%4.1–7.7 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.8%4.5–7.4 | 14.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.2%2.5–3.9 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.9%3.1–4.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.8%2.6–5.3 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 20.9%17.8–24.6 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.8%7–11 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8%6.6–9.8 | 12.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.6%4.9–6.6 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.6%2.2–3.2 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.8%3.9–6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2%1.7–2.5 | 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 Lawrence
Is Lawrence a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lawrence is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #21 of 755 in New York. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lawrence?
CDC estimates 24.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.3% and 27.9%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lawrence?
St. John's Episcopal Hospital at South Shore in Far Rockaway, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Lawrence’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lawrence have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.5–4.8%), 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 Lawrence more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lawrence.
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.