Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Middletown is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Middletown differs from Rhode Island on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 02842. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Middletown
Cancer runs high in Middletown
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.3%), vs 8.4% across Rhode Island. Conditions ↓
Fewer Middletown adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Rhode Island. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Middletown adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (30.8% vs 35%) and lack of emotional support (18.5% vs 22%) both run below Rhode Island. Mind & connection ↓
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 Middletown’s likely range; Middletown’s figures come from ZIP code 02842, 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 Middletown’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Middletown is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, #14 of 38 in Rhode Island. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 89% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 78%.
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). Middletown’s median household income is $101,948; among the 8,300 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$127K), it’s healthier than 86%, about where its income would put it.
Most Rhode Island towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Middletown is healthier than 65% of graded towns, against 87% nationally.
Out of every 100 Middletown adults…
Middletown runs below RI on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. 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.
9.7% of Middletown adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.2% across Rhode Island.
How Middletown adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Middletown does better than Rhode Island.
3 in 10 Middletown 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.
Care in and near Middletown
1 community health center in Middletown, 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 Middletown; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Rhode Island
Share of adults, with the Rhode Island figure marked.
20 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Middletown adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Rhode Island.
Middletown and the towns around it
Middletown’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middletown | A | 28.3% | 10.2% | 10.2% | ZIP 02842 |
| Newport East | — | — | — | — | |
| Portsmouth | A | 26.7% | 10% | 8.4% | ZIP codes |
| Newport | A | 28.3% | 9.2% | 9.8% | CDC place |
| Melville | — | — | — | — | |
| Jamestown | A+ | 26.3% | 10.4% | 7.3% | ZIP 02835 |
Newport East and Melville: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Middletown adults live with a disability (Rhode Island 27.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Middletown
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Middletown is better than Rhode Island on 11 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Rhode Island figure falls inside Middletown’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Middletown | RI | U.S. | vs RI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.3%13.4–17.5 | 17.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.9%10.5–13.5 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%13.1–16.8 | 16.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.3%23.6–34.3 | 31.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%9–11.8 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.3%31.1–38.2 | 33.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.9%33.5–41 | 34.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.6%25–30.9 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.8–12.4 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.4–11.3 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.8–7.2 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.3%5.6–7.2 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.1%8.2–12.1 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.2%8.6–12 | 11.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21%17.8–24.9 | 25.4% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.7%15.2–21 | 16.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.4%25.2–34.3 | 35% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%5.1–7.1 | 8.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.8%82.2–87.4 | 84.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.5%72.7–78.4 | 71.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.1%88.8–91.5 | 89.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.6%75–80.6 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.9%71.2–78.6 | 73.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.7%76.3–86.5 | 82.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%20–26.6 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.8%26.9–34.8 | 35% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.5%15.8–21.3 | 22% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.6%9–12.2 | 15.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.3%7.9–10.7 | 13.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.1%5.2–7 | 8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.1%5.4–7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.7%8.1–11.3 | 13.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24%21.1–27.7 | 27.9% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.5%10–13.2 | 12.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.7%10.3–13.4 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.9–7.5 | 6.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.6–4.4 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%6–7.6 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.4 | 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 Middletown
Is Middletown a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Middletown is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health, #14 of 38 in Rhode Island. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Middletown?
CDC estimates 28.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.6% and 34.3%, against 31.7% across Rhode Island and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Middletown?
Newport Hospital in Newport, 2.1 miles in a straight line from Middletown’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Middletown have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7.1%), 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 Middletown 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 Middletown.
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.