Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Within Rhode Island, Pawtucket is healthier than 5% of graded towns
Pawtucket differs from Rhode Island on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pawtucket. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pawtucket
Making ends meet is harder in Pawtucket
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.8%), vs 15.1% across Rhode Island. Utility shut-off threats (12.6% vs 8%) and housing insecurity (20.5% vs 13.1%) are higher too. 21.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Pawtucket adults lack emotional support
1 in 4 adults lack social or emotional support (26.7%), vs 22% across Rhode Island. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 19.9%, vs 16.7% across Rhode Island. Mind & connection ↓
Pawtucket is behind on routine checkups
It trails Rhode Island on three of five routine checkups and screenings: dentist visits (62.3% vs 71.2%), cholesterol checks (87.6% vs 89.1%) and colon screening (67.5% vs 73.2%). Checkups ↓
Health varies a lot right around Pawtucket
Grades next door run from Seekonk (A−) to Central Falls (D−). Pawtucket is a C. Around town ↓
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 Pawtucket’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Pawtucket’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pawtucket is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns, #36 of 38 in Rhode Island. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 55% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Pawtucket’s median household income is $68,310; among the 10,374 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 37%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Pawtucket compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.7% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
21.5% of Pawtucket adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.2% across Rhode Island.
How Pawtucket adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Pawtucket runs above Rhode Island.
2 in 5 Pawtucket 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Pawtucket adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Rhode Island.
Pawtucket and the towns around it
Pawtucket’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pawtucket | C | 35.6% | 12.2% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Central Falls | D− | 41.3% | 15.5% | 19% | CDC place |
| Providence | C+ | 34.4% | 11.5% | 12.1% | CDC place |
| North Providence | B | 33% | 11.4% | 11.9% | ZIP codes |
| East Providence | B− | 32.4% | 11.7% | 12.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Pawtucket adults…
Pawtucket runs below RI on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Pawtucket
1 community health center in Pawtucket, 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 Pawtucket; ≈ 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.
6.4 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pawtucket adults live with a disability (Rhode Island 27.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pawtucket
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pawtucket is better than Rhode Island on 1 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Rhode Island figure falls inside Pawtucket’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pawtucket | RI | U.S. | vs RI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.9%20–23.9 | 17.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%14.3–17.1 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.9%18.2–21.7 | 16.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.6%30.8–40.6 | 31.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.2%11–13.6 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.7%30.9–36.5 | 33.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.9%30–35.9 | 34.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.3%22.2–26.5 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 13.6%12.3–14.9 | 11.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.7%6.2–7.3 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.8–6.9 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.6%6.8–8.3 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.3–3.8 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.6%14.1–19.4 | 14.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.6%13–16.4 | 11.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.1%27.8–34.8 | 25.4% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.3%14.2–18.5 | 16.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.7%36.2–45.3 | 35% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.6%10.2–13.1 | 8.2% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.5%79.9–84.9 | 84.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.3%59–65.5 | 71.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.6%86–89 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.4%72.8–77.8 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.5%63.7–71.2 | 73.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82%77.3–86.1 | 82.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.4%21.6–27.2 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.5%36–43.1 | 35% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.7%23.9–29.8 | 22% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.8%21.7–25.9 | 15.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.5%18.6–22.5 | 13.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.6%11.3–14 | 8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.9%10.8–13.2 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.5%19.1–23.9 | 13.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.8%29.8–35.9 | 27.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.9%13.5–16.3 | 12.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.6%16.1–19.3 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.8–7.2 | 6.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%6–7 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.3%9.4–11.2 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 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 Pawtucket
Is Pawtucket a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pawtucket is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #36 of 38 in Rhode Island. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 37%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pawtucket?
CDC estimates 35.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.8% and 40.6%, against 31.7% across Rhode Island and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pawtucket?
The Miriam Hospital in Providence, 2.1 miles in a straight line from Pawtucket’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Pawtucket have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.2–13.1%), 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 Pawtucket more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Pawtucket.
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.