Cambridge, MA health
Cambridge differs from Massachusetts on 23 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults with COPD (3.1% vs 5.9%) and fewer adults with heart disease (3.2% vs 5.8%). Where it trails the state: fewer adults treating high blood pressure (65.3% vs 75.4%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for CambridgeCambridge’s Health Grade: A+
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Cambridge is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns and 86% of Massachusetts towns.
About what its income would suggest. Cambridge does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.
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 Cambridge 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. Cambridge uses CDC’s own estimate for it. 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.
How Cambridge 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
Habits
Care & screenings
Mind & connection
Everyday needs
Disability
Out of every 100 Cambridge adults…
Bars show Cambridge; the black tick is Massachusetts. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
MA 21.7%
MA 33.6%
MA 17%
MA 11.3%
Keeping up with care
Share of Cambridge adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Massachusetts.
How Cambridge adults are doing
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.6% of Cambridge adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.
Living with a disability
of Cambridge adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Black tick: Massachusetts. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Cambridge 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 Cambridge.
Obesity
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.
Care in and near Cambridge
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Cambridge, 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 Cambridge. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
All 40 measures for Cambridge
| Measure | Cambridge | Margin | Massachusetts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 20.9% | 19.2–22.8% | 30.9% | better |
| High cholesterol | 27.8% | 25.7–30.1% | 35.4% | better |
| Obesity | 21.9% | 19–25.1% | 27.7% | better |
| Arthritis | 15.9% | 14.6–17.3% | 25.4% | better |
| Depression | 24.5% | 22.3–27% | 23.8% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 6.9% | 5.7–8.3% | 11.9% | better |
| Asthma | 11.1% | 10.1–12.2% | 11.6% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 5.4% | 4.9–5.8% | 8.5% | better |
| Diabetes | 5.9% | 5.3–6.7% | 9.8% | better |
| COPD | 3.1% | 2.8–3.4% | 5.9% | better |
| Heart disease | 3.2% | 2.9–3.5% | 5.8% | better |
| Stroke | 1.7% | 1.6–1.9% | 3% | better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.1% | 6.3–8.1% | 11.3% | better |
| Binge drink | 18.5% | 16.4–20.7% | 17% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 15.7% | 13.9–17.7% | 21.7% | better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.7% | 28.4–35% | 33.6% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 76.9% | 74.3–79.3% | 80.9% | worse |
| Dentist visit | 72.4% | 70–74.6% | 69.8% | better |
| Cholesterol check | 87.2% | 85.8–88.6% | 89.7% | worse |
| Colon screening | 73.1% | 70.2–75.8% | 68.4% | better |
| Mammogram | 85% | 81.3–88.2% | 83.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 65.3% | 63–67.6% | 75.4% | worse |
| No health insurance | 3.8% | 3.3–4.4% | 5.2% | better |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 37% | 33.9–40.3% | 34.2% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 21.9% | 19.6–24.4% | 23.4% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 16% | 14.6–17.5% | 16.2% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 11.3% | 10.2–12.6% | 16.3% | better |
| Frequent physical distress | 8% | 7.3–8.9% | 12.3% | better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 10.1% | 8.8–11.4% | 12.4% | better |
| Housing insecurity | 9.4% | 8.3–10.6% | 11.1% | better |
| Utility shut-off threat | 5.7% | 5–6.5% | 7% | better |
| No reliable transportation | 7.5% | 6.7–8.4% | 7.6% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 10.6% | 9.3–11.9% | 14.1% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.5% | 19.5–23.8% | 27.3% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 6.5% | 5.8–7.3% | 11.6% | |
| Thinking or memory | 12.7% | 11.6–14.1% | 13.7% | |
| Hearing | 3.7% | 3.3–4.1% | 6% | |
| Vision | 2.9% | 2.7–3.2% | 4.1% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 1.9% | 1.7–2% | 3.1% | |
| Errands alone | 5.8% | 5.3–6.4% | 7.2% | |
How CDC estimates town health
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.