Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Westerly is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Westerly differs from Rhode Island on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 02891, 02808. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Westerly
Westerly adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (28.5% vs 35%), frequent mental distress (14.3% vs 16.7%) and lack of emotional support (18.5% vs 22%) all run below Rhode Island. Mind & connection ↓
Cancer runs high in Westerly
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.7%), vs 8.4% across Rhode Island. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Rhode Island 19%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Westerly is an active town
Only 19.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.4% across Rhode Island. The town has 55 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Westerly has a top-rated hospital
Westerly Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Westerly’s likely range; Westerly’s figures come from ZIP codes 02891, 02808, 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 Westerly’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Westerly is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, #10 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 physical distress, still better than 80%.
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). Westerly’s median household income is $98,875; among the 8,759 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($74K–$124K), it’s healthier than 92%, about where its income would put it.
How Westerly adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Westerly does better than Rhode Island.
3 in 10 Westerly 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.
Out of every 100 Westerly adults…
Westerly runs below RI on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Westerly is an older town: 26% 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 Westerly as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Rhode Island
Share of adults, with the Rhode Island figure marked.
55 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Care in and near Westerly
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Westerly, 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 Westerly; ≈ 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 Westerly 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.
8.5% of Westerly adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.2% across Rhode Island.
Westerly and the towns around it
Westerly’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westerly | A | 28.1% | 9.7% | 10.7% | ZIP codes |
| Hopkinton | A | 29.3% | 9.5% | 12% | ZIP codes |
| Westerly | — | — | — | — | |
| Bradford | — | — | — | — | |
| Ashaway | — | — | — | — | |
| Charlestown | A | 28.9% | 10.5% | 11% | ZIP 02813 |
Westerly, Bradford and Ashaway: 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 Westerly adults live with a disability (Rhode Island 27.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Westerly
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Westerly is better than Rhode Island on 12 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Rhode Island figure falls inside Westerly’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Westerly | RI | U.S. | vs RI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.2%12.4–16.4 | 17.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.6–13.7 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.6–16 | 16.7% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.1%23.2–33 | 31.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.4–11.1 | 11.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.1%31.6–38.3 | 33.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.7%32–39.1 | 34.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.7%25.7–31.5 | 25.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.1 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.7–11.6 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 6.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.7 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.3%8.2–12.5 | 14.2% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.7%8.9–12.5 | 11.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.5%16.5–22.8 | 25.4% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.9–19.1 | 16.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.4%27.8–37.5 | 35% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.3%4.3–6.3 | 8.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.9%83.2–88 | 84.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.8%70.7–76.9 | 71.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.8%89.3–92.2 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.4%76.4–81.9 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.4%72.5–80 | 73.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.3%78.1–87.7 | 82.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.7%18.6–24.6 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.5%24.8–32.1 | 35% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.5%15.8–21.2 | 22% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.2%7.6–10.9 | 15.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.8%6.6–9.2 | 13.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.6–6.2 | 8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.5%4.8–6.3 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.5%7–10.1 | 13.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25%21.9–28.3 | 27.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.3%9.7–12.9 | 12.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.6%10.1–13.2 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.4–8.2 | 6.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%6–7.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| 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 Westerly
Is Westerly a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Westerly is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns: A for health, #10 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 Westerly?
CDC estimates 28.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.2% and 33%, against 31.7% across Rhode Island and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Westerly?
Westerly Hospital in Westerly, 3.0 miles in a straight line from Westerly’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Westerly have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–6.3%), 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 Westerly 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 Westerly.
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.