Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Portsmouth is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Portsmouth differs from Rhode Island on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 02871, 02872. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Portsmouth
Cancer and arthritis run high in Portsmouth
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12%), vs 8.4% across Rhode Island. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.5%), vs 25.4% across Rhode Island. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Rhode Island 19%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Portsmouth is an active town
Only 18.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.4% across Rhode Island. The town has 34 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Portsmouth adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (28.4% vs 35%), frequent mental distress (13% vs 16.7%) and lack of emotional support (16.3% vs 22%) all 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 Portsmouth’s likely range; Portsmouth’s figures come from ZIP codes 02871, 02872, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Portsmouth’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portsmouth is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #6 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 94% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 81%.
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). Portsmouth’s median household income is $117,467; among the 6,100 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($88K–$147K), it’s healthier than 93%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Portsmouth adults…
Portsmouth runs below RI on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Portsmouth is an older town: 27% 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 Portsmouth as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Rhode Island
Share of adults, with the Rhode Island figure marked.
34 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Portsmouth adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Portsmouth does better than Rhode Island.
3 in 10 Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth
No hospital or community health center in Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Portsmouth adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Rhode Island.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
6% of Portsmouth adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.2% across Rhode Island.
Portsmouth and the towns around it
Portsmouth’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth | A | 26.7% | 10% | 8.4% | ZIP codes |
| Bristol | A | 25.1% | 9.7% | 10.1% | ZIP 02809 |
| Tiverton | A | 28.2% | 10.5% | 10.7% | ZIP 02878 |
| Warwick | B+ | 33% | 12.1% | 12.8% | CDC place |
| North Kingstown | A+ | 27.4% | 8.8% | 9.2% | ZIP codes |
| Middletown | A | 28.3% | 10.2% | 10.2% | ZIP 02842 |
| Tiverton | — | — | — | — | |
| Jamestown | A+ | 26.3% | 10.4% | 7.3% | ZIP 02835 |
Tiverton: 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 Portsmouth adults live with a disability (Rhode Island 27.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Portsmouth
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Portsmouth is better than Rhode Island on 16 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Rhode Island figure falls inside Portsmouth’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Portsmouth | RI | U.S. | vs RI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13%10.9–15.6 | 17.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.1%9.6–12.9 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.4–14.9 | 16.7% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.7%22.2–32.6 | 31.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10%8.6–11.7 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%31.9–39.3 | 33.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.2%35.6–43.5 | 34.2% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 29.5%26.4–33 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.4–12 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12%11–13.3 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%5.9–7.7 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6%5–7.2 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.5 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.5%6.9–10.3 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.4%6.7–10.5 | 11.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.1%14.7–22 | 25.4% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.5%15.1–20.7 | 16.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.5%23.3–32.2 | 35% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.1%3.1–5.3 | 8.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 86.3%83.9–88.8 | 84.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 79%76.5–81.7 | 71.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.3%91–93.5 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.7%76.8–82.7 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.4%72.8–79.8 | 73.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.3%78.2–87.8 | 82.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22%19.2–25.7 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.4%24.6–32.4 | 35% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 16.3%13.7–19.2 | 22% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.8%5.4–8.6 | 15.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.3%5.2–7.6 | 13.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.2%3.5–5.1 | 8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.3%3.7–5.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6%4.5–7.6 | 13.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.9%18.6–25.5 | 27.9% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.6%8.9–12.6 | 12.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.7%8.3–11.4 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.8 | 6.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.8–3.8 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.6%4.8–6.6 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.3–3.1 | 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 Portsmouth
Is Portsmouth a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portsmouth is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #6 of 38 in Rhode Island. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 93%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Portsmouth?
CDC estimates 26.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.2% and 32.6%, against 31.7% across Rhode Island and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Portsmouth?
Kent County Memorial Hospital in Warwick, 9.0 miles in a straight line from Portsmouth’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Portsmouth have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.1–5.3%), 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 Portsmouth more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Portsmouth.
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.