Photo: The original uploader was Swampyank at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Little Compton is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Little Compton differs from Rhode Island on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 02837. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Little Compton
Cancer and arthritis run high in Little Compton
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (13.4%), vs 8.4% across Rhode Island. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.7%), vs 25.4% across Rhode Island. In all, Little Compton runs above Rhode Island on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 40% of residents are 65 or older (Rhode Island 19%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Little Compton keeps up with checkups
It beats Rhode Island on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (87.3% vs 84.1%) and dentist visits (81.2% vs 71.2%). Checkups ↓
Little Compton is an active town
Only 18.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.4% across Rhode Island. The town has 11 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves. 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 Rhode Island figure falls outside Little Compton’s likely range; Little Compton’s figures come from ZIP code 02837, 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 Little Compton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Little Compton is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #7 of 38 in Rhode Island. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 97% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 75%.
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). Little Compton’s median household income is $134,750; among the 4,064 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($101K–$168K), it’s healthier than 83%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Little Compton adults…
Little Compton runs below RI on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Little Compton is an older town: 40% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Rhode Island. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Little Compton as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Little Compton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Rhode Island.
Everyday habits, side by side with Rhode Island
Share of adults, with the Rhode Island figure marked.
11 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Care in and near Little Compton
No hospital or community health center in Little Compton 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 Little Compton; ≈ 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 Little Compton adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Little Compton does better than Rhode Island.
1 in 4 Little Compton 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.
5.4% of Little Compton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.2% across Rhode Island.
Little Compton and the towns around it
Little Compton’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Compton | A | 26.3% | 10.4% | 8% | ZIP 02837 |
| Tiverton | A | 28.2% | 10.5% | 10.7% | ZIP 02878 |
| Portsmouth | A | 26.7% | 10% | 8.4% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Little Compton adults live with a disability (Rhode Island 27.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Little Compton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Little Compton is better than Rhode Island on 18 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Rhode Island figure falls inside Little Compton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Little Compton | RI | U.S. | vs RI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.1%10.4–16.5 | 17.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%9.4–13.5 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.5–14.4 | 16.7% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.3%21.6–32.3 | 31.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%8.7–12.3 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.2%33.3–41.5 | 33.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.9%37.2–45.2 | 34.2% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.7%28.3–35.5 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–12 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.4%12–14.8 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.2–8.5 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.3%4.8–8.1 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%2.8–4 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.5%9.5–13.8 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8%5.7–10.8 | 11.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.1%14.2–22.6 | 25.4% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.3%14–19.4 | 16.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.2%22.2–30.9 | 35% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.7%2.6–5 | 8.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 87.3%85–89.7 | 84.1% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 81.2%78.8–83.6 | 71.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.2%91.7–94.4 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.5%78.6–84.4 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 79.1%75.7–82.3 | 73.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 84.4%79.4–88.7 | 82.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.7%18.7–25.3 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.5%23.5–31.8 | 35% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 15.4%12.7–18.5 | 22% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.2%4.5–8.5 | 15.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.6%4.2–7.2 | 13.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.8%3–4.7 | 8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4%3.2–4.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.4%3.7–7.6 | 13.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.5%18.6–26.8 | 27.9% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.3%8.9–14.1 | 12.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.3%7.6–11.4 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.3–8.5 | 6.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.6–4 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.6%4.5–7 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.1–3.4 | 3.5% | 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 Rhode Island figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Little Compton
Is Little Compton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Little Compton is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #7 of 38 in Rhode Island. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 83%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Little Compton?
CDC estimates 26.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.6% and 32.3%, against 31.7% across Rhode Island and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Little Compton?
Newport Hospital in Newport, 7.3 miles in a straight line from Little Compton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Little Compton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.6–5%), 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 Little Compton 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 Little Compton.
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.