Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Woonsocket is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns
Woonsocket differs from Rhode Island on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Woonsocket. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Woonsocket
Every town around Woonsocket scores healthier
All five graded neighbors are ahead of Woonsocket’s C−, from Blackstone (A−) to Wrentham (A). Around town ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Woonsocket
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (26%), vs 15.1% across Rhode Island. Utility shut-off threats (13.2% vs 8%) and no reliable transportation (12.6% vs 7.9%) are higher too. 25.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mental distress runs high in Woonsocket
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.6%), vs 16.7% across Rhode Island. Lack of emotional support is above the state too: 26.3%, vs 22% across 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 Woonsocket’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Woonsocket’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Woonsocket is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 51% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Woonsocket’s median household income is $61,059; among the 9,183 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$76K), it’s healthier than 27%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Most Rhode Island towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Woonsocket is healthier than 3% of graded towns, against 20% nationally.
Where Woonsocket compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7% (U.S. 7.9%).
Woonsocket and the towns around it
Woonsocket’s Health Grade ranks 6th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woonsocket | C− | 36% | 13% | 16.8% | CDC place |
| North Smithfield | A− | 30.1% | 10.5% | 10.2% | ZIP codes |
| Cumberland | A− | 29.7% | 9.6% | 10% | ZIP 02864 |
| Cumberland Hill | — | — | — | — |
Cumberland Hill: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
25.2% of Woonsocket adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.2% across Rhode Island.
How Woonsocket adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Woonsocket runs above Rhode Island.
2 in 5 Woonsocket 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 Woonsocket adults…
Woonsocket runs below RI on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Woonsocket
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Woonsocket, 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 Woonsocket; ≈ 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 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Woonsocket adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Rhode Island.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Woonsocket adults live with a disability (Rhode Island 27.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Woonsocket
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Woonsocket is better than Rhode Island on 1 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Rhode Island figure falls inside Woonsocket’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Woonsocket | RI | U.S. | vs RI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.8%21.7–26.1 | 17.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%15.1–18.2 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.6%18.8–22.6 | 16.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36%31.1–41.2 | 31.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11.7–14.4 | 11.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.2%32.3–38.1 | 33.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34%31.1–37 | 34.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.5%23.3–27.8 | 25.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 13.3%12.1–14.7 | 11.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.4–7.6 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.5–7.8 | 6.3% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.9%8–9.8 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 3.2% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.7%14.1–19.5 | 14.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.8%14.9–18.8 | 11.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34%30.3–37.8 | 25.4% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.7–17.9 | 16.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.5%36–45.1 | 35% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.9%10.4–13.5 | 8.2% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.3%79.6–84.7 | 84.1% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.3%55.9–62.6 | 71.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.2%84.5–87.8 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.2%73.7–78.4 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.3%63.5–70.9 | 73.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.8%75.8–85 | 82.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%22.4–28.3 | 23.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.4%36.1–43 | 35% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.3%23.6–29.4 | 22% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26%23.8–28.3 | 15.1% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.7%18.8–22.8 | 13.1% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.2%11.9–14.8 | 8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.6%11.4–13.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 25.2%22.6–27.9 | 13.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.8%31.6–38 | 27.9% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.2%14.6–17.8 | 12.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.7%16.9–20.6 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.4–7.9 | 6.5% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7%6.4–7.6 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.3%10.3–12.4 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.7–5.5 | 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 Woonsocket
Is Woonsocket a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Woonsocket is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns: C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 27%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Woonsocket?
CDC estimates 36% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.1% and 41.2%, against 31.7% across Rhode Island and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Woonsocket?
Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket, 0.3 miles in a straight line from Woonsocket’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Woonsocket have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.4–13.5%), 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 Woonsocket more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Woonsocket.
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.