Health · Chatham

Chatham, MA health

Chatham differs from Massachusetts on 24 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing housing insecurity (5.5% vs 11.1%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (6.4% vs 12.4%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (16.1% vs 8.5%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 02633, 02659, 02650
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Chatham’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Chatham is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns and 58% of Massachusetts towns.

A-Self-rated healthB+Physical distressA+Mental distressA+ObesityBDiabetesASmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 88%
Less healthyHealthier
Massachusetts towns we grade (320)Healthier than 58%
Towns with similar incomes, $64K–$106K (9,476)Healthier than 96%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Chatham could be anywhere from B+ 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 Chatham 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. Chatham’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 Chatham 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 Chatham adults…

42 of every 100 Chatham adults have high blood pressure
Massachusetts: 31 in 100 · worse · margin 37.9–45.8%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Chatham, betterChatham, worseToo close to callMassachusetts
Get no exerciseshare of adults 18.3% Chatham
MA 21.7%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 26.9% Chatham
MA 33.6%
Binge drinkshare of adults 11.9% Chatham
MA 17%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 8.3% Chatham
MA 11.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

88%
Yearly checkup
MA 81%
79%
Dentist visit
MA 70%
95%
Cholesterol check
MA 90%
79%
Colon screening
MA 68%
84%
Mammogram
MA 84%
86%
Taking BP meds
MA 75%
1 in 34
working-age adults has no health insurance
Chatham 2.9% · Massachusetts 1 in 19 (5.2%)
Mind & connection

How Chatham adults are doing

1 in 4Chatham adults feel lonely
27.5% · Massachusetts 34.2% · better
1 in 5Chatham adults have been diagnosed with depression
20.8% · Massachusetts 23.8% · too close to call
1 in 5Chatham adults lack social or emotional support
18.2% · Massachusetts 23.4% · better
1 in 9Chatham adults are in frequent mental distress
11.7% · 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 16
Chatham adults worry about having enough food
6.4% · MA 12.4% · better
1 in 18
Chatham adults worry about keeping their housing
5.5% · MA 11.1% · better
1 in 25
Chatham adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4% · MA 7% · better
1 in 23
Chatham adults lack reliable transportation
4.3% · MA 7.6% · better

7.6% of Chatham adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.

Disability

Living with a disability

28.8%

of Chatham adults live with a disability (Massachusetts 27.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.6%
Thinking or memory9.7%
Hearing9.7%
Errands alone6.5%
Vision3.8%
Dressing or bathing3.1%

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

Around Chatham

Chatham 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 Chatham.

Harwich: 25.7% Orleans: 25.1% Brewster: 25.9% Dennis: 26.2% Eastham: 26.5% Chatham: 25% Chatham Harwich Orleans Harwich Port Health Center · Harwich Port · 6.1 mi+ Ellen Jones Community Dental Clinic · South Dennis · 10.6 mi+
25%26.5%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#1 of 6towns on this map, healthiest first
Chatham25%
Orleans25.1%
Harwich25.7%
6 places to get careNearest ER 15.2 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 Chatham

No hospital or community health center in Chatham itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERCape Cod HospitalHyannis · 15.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMartha's Vineyard Hospital★★★★★ · 32.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careOuter Cape Health ServicesHarwich Port · 6.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
6.1 mi
Outer Cape Health Services
2 sites · nearest in Harwich Port
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
10.6 mi
Harbor Health Services
2 sites · nearest in South Dennis
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
15.2 mi
Cape Cod Hospital
Hyannis · ★★★★★
ER
23.1 mi
Nantucket Cottage Hospital
Nantucket · ★★★★★
ER
32.2 mi
Martha's Vineyard Hospital
Oak Bluffs · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
32.9 mi
Falmouth Hospital
Falmouth · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careChatham is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careChatham is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthChatham 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 Chatham. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Chatham
MeasureChathamMarginMassachusetts
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure41.9%37.9–45.8%30.9%worse
High cholesterol43%38.9–47.1%35.4%worse
Obesity25%20.3–30%27.7%about the same
Arthritis39.4%35.7–43.1%25.4%worse
Depression20.8%17.9–23.9%23.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)8.5%6.7–10.6%11.9%better
Asthma10.9%9.7–12.3%11.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)16.1%14.5–17.7%8.5%worse
Diabetes11.4%9.8–13.3%9.8%about the same
COPD7.3%6.1–8.8%5.9%worse
Heart disease9.3%8.1–10.5%5.8%worse
Stroke4.2%3.6–4.8%3%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes8.3%6.6–10.3%11.3%better
Binge drink11.9%9.8–14.2%17%better
Get no exercise18.3%15–22.1%21.7%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours26.9%22.4–31.8%33.6%better
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup87.7%85.5–89.7%80.9%better
Dentist visit79.1%76.2–81.6%69.8%better
Cholesterol check94.8%93.8–95.5%89.7%better
Colon screening79.4%75.4–82.9%68.4%better
Mammogram84.3%78.7–88.9%83.7%about the same
Taking BP meds86%83.4–88.1%75.4%better
No health insurance2.9%2.3–3.6%5.2%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely27.5%23.6–31.7%34.2%better
Lack emotional support18.2%15.3–21.2%23.4%better
Frequent mental distress11.7%10.2–13.3%16.2%better
Fair or poor health14.9%12.6–17.6%16.3%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.2%11.4–15.1%12.3%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity6.4%5–8%12.4%better
Housing insecurity5.5%4.4–6.5%11.1%better
Utility shut-off threat4%3.3–4.8%7%better
No reliable transportation4.3%3.6–5.1%7.6%better
Receive SNAP7.6%5.9–9.5%14.1%
Disability
Any disability28.8%24.9–32.9%27.3%
Walking or climbing stairs14.6%12.2–17.2%11.6%
Thinking or memory9.7%8.3–11.3%13.7%
Hearing9.7%8.4–11%6%
Vision3.8%3.3–4.5%4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.1%2.6–3.6%3.1%
Errands alone6.5%5.6–7.7%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 Chatham door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Massachusetts figure falls inside it, we don't call Chatham better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Chatham by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Chatham by how much of its land each one covers (74% of the town has data).

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