Health · Burlington

Burlington, MA health

Burlington differs from Massachusetts on 17 of 40 measures. It has fewer uninsured adults (3.2% vs 5.2%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (8% vs 12.4%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 01803, 02420
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Burlington’s Health Grade: A+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Burlington is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns and 85% of Massachusetts towns.

ASelf-rated healthA+Physical distressAMental distressA+ObesityADiabetesASmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 97%
Less healthyHealthier
Massachusetts towns we grade (320)Healthier than 85%
Towns with similar incomes, $110K–$183K (2,897)Healthier than 90%

About what its income would suggest. Burlington does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Burlington could be anywhere from A to A+.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Massachusetts ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Burlington with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Burlington’s figures come from the ZIP codes that cover it, weighted by land area. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Burlington compares with Massachusetts

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Burlington adults…

29 of every 100 Burlington adults have high blood pressure
Massachusetts: 31 in 100 · too close to call · margin 26.8–31.4%

Bars show Burlington; the black tick is Massachusetts. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Burlington, betterBurlington, worseToo close to callMassachusetts
Get no exerciseshare of adults 17.9% Burlington
MA 21.7%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 30.7% Burlington
MA 33.6%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.6% Burlington
MA 17%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 8.5% Burlington
MA 11.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Burlington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.

81%
Yearly checkup
MA 81%
73%
Dentist visit
MA 70%
92%
Cholesterol check
MA 90%
73%
Colon screening
MA 68%
84%
Mammogram
MA 84%
75%
Taking BP meds
MA 75%
1 in 31
working-age adults has no health insurance
Burlington 3.2% · Massachusetts 1 in 19 (5.2%)
Mind & connection

How Burlington adults are doing

1 in 3Burlington adults feel lonely
33.2% · Massachusetts 34.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Burlington adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.7% · Massachusetts 23.8% · too close to call
1 in 5Burlington adults lack social or emotional support
21% · Massachusetts 23.4% · too close to call
1 in 7Burlington adults are in frequent mental distress
13.8% · Massachusetts 16.2% · better
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 13
Burlington adults worry about having enough food
8% · MA 12.4% · better
1 in 13
Burlington adults worry about keeping their housing
7.6% · MA 11.1% · better
1 in 22
Burlington adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.6% · MA 7% · better
1 in 18
Burlington adults lack reliable transportation
5.5% · MA 7.6% · better

8.5% of Burlington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.

Disability

Living with a disability

23.7%

of Burlington adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs9.7%
Thinking or memory11.1%
Hearing5.6%
Errands alone5.8%
Vision3.1%
Dressing or bathing2.4%

Black tick: Massachusetts. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Burlington

Burlington and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Burlington.

Lexington: 19.5% Woburn: 25.6% Wilmington: 24.7% Billerica: 24.9% Bedford: 22.5% Winchester: 21.7% Arlington: 22.7% Lincoln: 22% Waltham: 24% Belmont: 21.4% Reading: 23.3% Stoneham: 24.2% Andover: 24.7% North Reading: 23.9% Tewksbury: 25.3% Carlisle: 21.7% Chelmsford: 23.6% Concord: 22.6% Burlington: 22.7% Burlington Lexington Woburn Wilmington Billerica Bedford Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington · Burlington · 0 mi · 4★ MedicareH Bedford VA Medical Center · Bedford · 4.1 miH Winchester Hospital · Winchester · 4.8 mi · 3★ MedicareH Melrosewakefield Healthcare · Melrose · 7.7 mi · 3★ MedicareH Cab Transitions · Tewksbury · 7.2 mi+ Commercial Street Clinic · Malden · 8.7 mi+
19.5%25.6%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#8 of 19towns on this map, healthiest first
Lexington19.5%
Bedford22.5%
Burlington22.7%
Wilmington24.7%
Billerica24.9%
Woburn25.6%
6 places to get careNearest ER 0 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Burlington

1 hospital in Burlington, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERLahey Hospital & Medical Center, BurlingtonBurlington · 0 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyWinchester Hospital★★★★★ · 4.8 miDirections →
+Low-cost careGreater Lawrence Family Health CenterTewksbury · 7.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0 mi
Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, Burlington
Burlington · ★★★★★
ERIn Burlington
4.1 mi
Bedford VA Medical Center
Bedford · not rated
VA
4.8 mi
Winchester Hospital
Winchester · ★★★★★
ER
7.2 mi
Greater Lawrence Family Health Center
2 sites · nearest in Tewksbury
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
7.7 mi
Melrosewakefield Healthcare
Melrose · ★★★★★
ER
8.7 mi
Commercial Street Clinic
Malden · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
✓ Primary careBurlington is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careBurlington is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthBurlington is not a shortage area

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 Burlington. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Burlington
MeasureBurlingtonMarginMassachusetts
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure29.1%26.8–31.4%30.9%about the same
High cholesterol36.6%34.1–39.4%35.4%about the same
Obesity22.7%19.6–26%27.7%better
Arthritis24.8%22.8–26.8%25.4%about the same
Depression22.7%20.5–25.1%23.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)8.4%6.9–10%11.9%better
Asthma10.9%9.9–12%11.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.2%8.5–10%8.5%about the same
Diabetes8.7%7.7–9.8%9.8%about the same
COPD4.6%4–5.3%5.9%better
Heart disease5.2%4.7–5.8%5.8%about the same
Stroke2.7%2.4–2.9%3%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes8.5%7.2–9.9%11.3%better
Binge drink15.6%13.8–17.5%17%about the same
Get no exercise17.9%15.6–20.3%21.7%better
Sleep under 7 hours30.7%27.6–34%33.6%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup81.3%79.1–83.4%80.9%about the same
Dentist visit73.4%71.1–75.6%69.8%better
Cholesterol check91.9%90.8–92.9%89.7%better
Colon screening72.6%69.6–75.4%68.4%better
Mammogram84%80.1–87.4%83.7%about the same
Taking BP meds75.4%72.9–77.9%75.4%about the same
No health insurance3.2%2.7–3.7%5.2%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.2%30.2–36.2%34.2%about the same
Lack emotional support21%18.7–23.5%23.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress13.8%12.3–15.2%16.2%better
Fair or poor health12.7%11.1–14.3%16.3%better
Frequent physical distress9.8%8.7–11%12.3%better
Everyday needs
Food insecurity8%6.9–9.3%12.4%better
Housing insecurity7.6%6.6–8.8%11.1%better
Utility shut-off threat4.6%3.9–5.2%7%better
No reliable transportation5.5%4.8–6.3%7.6%better
Receive SNAP8.5%7.3–10%14.1%
Disability
Any disability23.7%21.3–26.1%27.3%
Walking or climbing stairs9.7%8.5–11%11.6%
Thinking or memory11.1%9.9–12.4%13.7%
Hearing5.6%5–6.3%6%
Vision3.1%2.8–3.5%4.1%
Dressing or bathing2.4%2.1–2.6%3.1%
Errands alone5.8%5.1–6.6%7.2%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Burlington door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Massachusetts figure falls inside it, we don't call Burlington better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Burlington by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Burlington by how much of its land each one covers.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Massachusetts figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01