Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Central Falls is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Central Falls differs from Rhode Island on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 23 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Central Falls. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Central Falls
More Central Falls adults get no exercise
44.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.4% across Rhode Island. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Central Falls
44.2% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 15.1% across Rhode Island (3 times the Rhode Island rate). Utility shut-off threats (21.6% vs 8%) and housing insecurity (35.2% vs 13.1%) are higher too. 40.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Central Falls
47.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 71.2% across Rhode Island. Among those 65 and older, 24.4% have lost all their teeth (Rhode Island 14.2%). 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 Rhode Island figure falls outside Central Falls’ likely range.
What’s behind Central Falls’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Central Falls is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns. All seven of Central Falls’ estimates fall in the lowest 15% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is no exercise: 44.4% of adults, against 25.4% across Rhode Island and 24.7% nationally.
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). Central Falls’ median household income is $49,285; among the 5,515 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 8%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Central Falls compares well: arthritis, 21.6% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.4% (U.S. 7.9%).
Everyday habits, side by side with Rhode Island
Share of adults, with the Rhode Island figure marked.
0.3 miles of trails across 3 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.
40.9% of Central Falls adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.2% across Rhode Island.
Keeping up with care
Share of Central Falls adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Rhode Island.
Out of every 100 Central Falls adults…
Central Falls runs below RI on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Central Falls residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Rhode Island. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Central Falls
1 community health center in Central Falls, 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 Central Falls; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
How Central Falls adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Central Falls runs above Rhode Island.
4 in 10 Central Falls 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.
Central Falls and the towns around it
Central Falls’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Falls | D− | 41.3% | 15.5% | 19% | CDC place |
| Cumberland | A− | 29.7% | 9.6% | 10% | ZIP 02864 |
| Valley Falls | — | — | — | — | |
| Pawtucket | C | 35.6% | 12.2% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Lincoln | A | 29.1% | 10% | 9.7% | ZIP codes |
Valley Falls: 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 Central Falls adults live with a disability (Rhode Island 27.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Central Falls
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Central Falls is better than Rhode Island on 2 and worse on 23; on the rest, the Rhode Island figure falls inside Central Falls’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Central Falls | RI | U.S. | vs RI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 34%31–37.2 | 17.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.8%18–21.7 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.4%20.4–24.6 | 16.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.3%36.1–46.6 | 31.7% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.5%14–17.1 | 11.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.6%30.8–36.5 | 33.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.1%29.3–34.9 | 34.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.6%19.7–23.7 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 13.2%11.9–14.6 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.4%4–4.8 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6.3–7.5 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.7%7.8–9.6 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.2 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 24.4%21.1–28 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19%16.8–21.3 | 11.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 44.4%40.2–48.8 | 25.4% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.3%13.3–17.6 | 16.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44%39.3–48.7 | 35% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 26.2%22.8–29.8 | 8.2% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.2%76.1–82.1 | 84.1% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 47.6%44–51.1 | 71.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.4%79.1–83.6 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.3%68.5–73.8 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.7%52.6–60.7 | 73.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.3%73–83 | 82.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24%21.2–27 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 42.9%39.2–46.9 | 35% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.8%27.6–34.5 | 22% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 44.2%40.7–48.1 | 15.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 35.2%32.1–38.5 | 13.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 21.6%19.4–24.1 | 8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 20.9%18.8–23.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 40.9%36.9–45.1 | 13.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.7%38–45.5 | 27.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.5%17.7–21.4 | 12.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 24.2%21.9–26.7 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.4–7.9 | 6.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 11.7%10.7–12.8 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.5%13.1–15.9 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.3%6.7–8 | 3.5% | 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 Rhode Island figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Central Falls
Is Central Falls a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Central Falls is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 8%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Central Falls?
CDC estimates 41.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.1% and 46.6%, against 31.7% across Rhode Island and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Central Falls?
The Miriam Hospital in Providence, 2.7 miles in a straight line from Central Falls’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Central Falls have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 26.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 22.8–29.8%), against 8.2% across Rhode Island.
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 Central Falls more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Central Falls.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Rhode Island 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.