Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Richmond is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns
Richmond differs from Rhode Island on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 02892, 02898, 02832, 02812. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Richmond
Richmond is an active town
Only 16.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.4% across Rhode Island. The town has 59 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Richmond adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (28% vs 35%), frequent mental distress (14.2% vs 16.7%) and lack of emotional support (17.7% vs 22%) all run below Rhode Island. Mind & connection ↓
Fewer Richmond adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Rhode Island. 1 in 13 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Richmond’s likely range; Richmond’s figures come from ZIP codes 02892, 02898, 02832, 02812, which may reach past town lines.
What’s behind Richmond’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Richmond is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns, #4 of 38 in Rhode Island. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is fair or poor health (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 96% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 88%.
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). Richmond’s median household income is $124,653; among the 5,097 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($93K–$156K), it’s healthier than 92%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Rhode Island
Share of adults, with the Rhode Island figure marked.
59 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
How Richmond adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Richmond does better than Rhode Island.
3 in 10 Richmond 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.
6.8% of Richmond adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.2% across Rhode Island.
Out of every 100 Richmond adults…
Richmond runs below RI on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Richmond
No hospital or community health center in Richmond 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 Richmond; ≈ 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 Richmond adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Rhode Island.
Richmond and the towns around it
Richmond has the best Health Grade of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | A+ | 27.7% | 8.3% | 9.9% | ZIP codes |
| Hopkinton | A | 29.3% | 9.5% | 12% | ZIP codes |
| Charlestown | A | 28.9% | 10.5% | 11% | ZIP 02813 |
| South Kingstown | A | 27.2% | 9.1% | 9.1% | ZIP codes |
| Hope Valley | — | — | — | — | |
| Carolina | — | — | — | — | |
| Wyoming | — | — | — | — | |
| Exeter | A | 29.2% | 9.8% | 11.8% | ZIP codes |
Hope Valley and Carolina: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Wyoming: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Richmond adults live with a disability (Rhode Island 27.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Richmond
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Richmond is better than Rhode Island on 16 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Rhode Island figure falls inside Richmond’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Richmond | RI | U.S. | vs RI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.1%10.1–14.3 | 17.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.4–12.5 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.3–16.2 | 16.7% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.7%22.6–32.7 | 31.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.3%7–9.6 | 11.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.6%28.2–34.9 | 33.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.6%30–36.9 | 34.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.7%22.7–28.4 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–12.1 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.4 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%4.7–6.8 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.9%6.4–9.8 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.9%7.8–12.1 | 11.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.4%13.3–19.7 | 25.4% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.6%15.6–21.4 | 16.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.6%28–37.7 | 35% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.3%3.4–5.5 | 8.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.2%82.2–87.5 | 84.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 76.2%73.2–79.1 | 71.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91%89.4–92.4 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%73.4–79.8 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.1%71.3–78.7 | 73.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 84.3%79.4–88.4 | 82.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.2%19–25.3 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28%24.4–31.8 | 35% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.7%15.1–20.8 | 22% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.6%6–9.4 | 15.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.1%5.7–8.6 | 13.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.9%4–5.9 | 8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.9%4.1–5.8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.8%5.2–8.7 | 13.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.6%18.3–24.8 | 27.9% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.1%7.5–10.6 | 12.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.8%9.2–12.6 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.7 | 6.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%5–6.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.2–3 | 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 Richmond
Is Richmond a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Richmond is healthier than 95% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #4 of 38 in Rhode Island. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 92%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Richmond?
CDC estimates 27.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.6% and 32.7%, against 31.7% across Rhode Island and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Richmond?
South County Hospital in Wakefield, 9.9 miles in a straight line from Richmond’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Richmond have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.4–5.5%), 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 Richmond 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 Richmond.
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.