Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Rhode Island, Johnston is healthier than 19% of graded towns
Johnston beats Rhode Island on 1 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 02919. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Johnston
Rhode Island sets a high bar
Johnston is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, but only 19% of the 38 Rhode Island towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Johnston has a community health center but no hospital
Tri-County Community Action Agency is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in North Providence, 3.7 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Johnston’s likely range; Johnston’s figures come from ZIP code 02919, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind Johnston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Johnston is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, #31 of 38 in Rhode Island. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 77% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). Johnston’s median household income is $91,866; among the 9,744 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 56%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Johnston
1 community health center in Johnston, 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 Johnston; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Johnston adults…
Johnston runs below RI on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Rhode Island
Share of adults, with the Rhode Island figure marked.
26 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Johnston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Rhode Island.
How Johnston adults are doing
About the same as Rhode Island on each measure.
4 in 10 Johnston 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.5% of Johnston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.2% across Rhode Island.
Johnston and the towns around it
Johnston’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston | B | 31.8% | 11.2% | 11.9% | ZIP 02919 |
| Providence | C+ | 34.4% | 11.5% | 12.1% | CDC place |
| Cranston | B+ | 31.2% | 10.7% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| North Providence | B | 33% | 11.4% | 11.9% | ZIP codes |
| Scituate | A− | 30.7% | 10.2% | 10.7% | ZIP codes |
| Smithfield | A | 26.9% | 8.8% | 9% | ZIP codes |
| Greenville | — | — | — | — |
Greenville: 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 Johnston adults live with a disability (Rhode Island 27.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Johnston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Johnston is better than Rhode Island on 1 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Rhode Island figure falls inside Johnston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Johnston | RI | U.S. | vs RI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.4%15.4–19.4 | 17.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.6–15.5 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.5–18.9 | 16.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.8%27.2–36.7 | 31.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.2%10–12.6 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.6%31.7–37.6 | 33.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.5%32.5–38.7 | 34.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27%24.6–29.5 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.4%11.2–13.8 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.4–9.9 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6.1–7.4 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.2%6.3–8.1 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.8%9.1–12.8 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%10.3–13.6 | 11.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.7%23.4–30.2 | 25.4% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.3%14.2–18.5 | 16.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.6%31.4–40 | 35% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6.3–8.7 | 8.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.3%81.9–86.5 | 84.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.4%68.4–74.2 | 71.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.3%89–91.6 | 89.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76.8–81.5 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.1%69.7–76.4 | 73.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 85.1%81.1–88.6 | 82.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.6%20.8–26.6 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36%32.7–39.7 | 35% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.6%20–25.4 | 22% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.4%12.6–16.3 | 15.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.6%11.1–14.2 | 13.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.6%6.6–8.6 | 8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.4%6.5–8.3 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.5%10.6–14.5 | 13.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.3%26.4–32.5 | 27.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.5%11.9–15 | 12.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.9%12.5–15.5 | 13.9% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6.2–7.7 | 6.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4.2–5.1 | 4.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%7.3–9.1 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 3.5% | 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 Rhode Island figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Johnston
Is Johnston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Johnston is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #31 of 38 in Rhode Island. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 56%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Johnston?
CDC estimates 31.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.2% and 36.7%, against 31.7% across Rhode Island and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Johnston?
Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in North Providence, 3.7 miles in a straight line from Johnston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Johnston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.3–8.7%), 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 Johnston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Johnston.
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.