Health · Chilmark

Chilmark, MA health

Chilmark differs from Massachusetts on 21 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (4.2% vs 11.9%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (6.1% vs 12.4%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (13.3% vs 8.5%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP code 02535 (all of Chilmark)
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Chilmark’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Chilmark is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns and 78% of Massachusetts towns.

ASelf-rated healthA-Physical distressAMental distressA+ObesityA-DiabetesASmokingA+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 94%
Less healthyHealthier
Massachusetts towns we grade (320)Healthier than 78%
Towns with similar incomes, $127K–$211K (1,683)Healthier than 63%

Wealth explains part of the grade. Chilmark is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Chilmark 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 Chilmark 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. Chilmark’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 Chilmark 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 Chilmark adults…

36 of every 100 Chilmark adults have high blood pressure
Massachusetts: 31 in 100 · worse · margin 31.6–40.6%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Chilmark, betterChilmark, worseToo close to callMassachusetts
Get no exerciseshare of adults 16.1% Chilmark
MA 21.7%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 30.3% Chilmark
MA 33.6%
Binge drinkshare of adults 14.6% Chilmark
MA 17%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 8.2% Chilmark
MA 11.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

85%
Yearly checkup
MA 81%
76%
Dentist visit
MA 70%
94%
Cholesterol check
MA 90%
77%
Colon screening
MA 68%
85%
Mammogram
MA 84%
81%
Taking BP meds
MA 75%
1 in 36
working-age adults has no health insurance
Chilmark 2.8% · Massachusetts 1 in 19 (5.2%)
Mind & connection

How Chilmark adults are doing

1 in 4Chilmark adults feel lonely
28.1% · Massachusetts 34.2% · better
1 in 4Chilmark adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.7% · Massachusetts 23.8% · too close to call
1 in 5Chilmark adults lack social or emotional support
18.3% · Massachusetts 23.4% · better
1 in 8Chilmark adults are in frequent mental distress
13.1% · 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
Chilmark adults worry about having enough food
6.1% · MA 12.4% · better
1 in 16
Chilmark adults worry about keeping their housing
6.1% · MA 11.1% · better
1 in 24
Chilmark adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.2% · MA 7% · better
1 in 22
Chilmark adults lack reliable transportation
4.6% · MA 7.6% · better

7% of Chilmark adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.

Disability

Living with a disability

25.6%

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

Walking or climbing stairs11.5%
Thinking or memory10%
Hearing7.5%
Errands alone5.7%
Vision3.2%
Dressing or bathing2.6%

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

Around Chilmark

Chilmark 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 Chilmark.

West Tisbury: 24.5% Aquinnah: 24% Gosnold: 23.5% Edgartown: 25.5% Tisbury: 26.4% Falmouth: 26.2% Dartmouth: 29% Chilmark: 24% Chilmark West Tisbury Aquinnah Gosnold Martha's Vineyard Hospital · Oak Bluffs · 14.9 mi · 4★ MedicareH Falmouth Hospital · Falmouth · 19.9 mi · 4★ MedicareH Island Health Care Dental Center · Edgartown · 14.3 mi+ Community Health Center of Cape Cod - Falmouth Housing Outreach · Falmouth · 19.4 mi+
23.5%29%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#2 of 8towns on this map, healthiest first
Gosnold23.5%
Chilmark24%
Aquinnah24%
West Tisbury24.5%
6 places to get careNearest ER 14.9 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 Chilmark

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

HNearest ERMartha's Vineyard HospitalOak Bluffs · 14.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyFalmouth Hospital★★★★★ · 19.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careIsland HealthEdgartown · 14.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
14.3 mi
Island Health
2 sites · nearest in Edgartown
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
14.9 mi
Martha's Vineyard Hospital
Oak Bluffs · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
19.4 mi
Community Health Center of Cape Cod
3 sites · nearest in Falmouth
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
19.9 mi
Falmouth Hospital
Falmouth · ★★★★★
ER
30.5 mi
Newport Hospital
Newport · ★★★★★
ER
33.5 mi
Saint Anne's Hospital
Fall River · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careChilmark's county is a federal shortage area.Dukes County · need score 11 of 25
✓ Dental careChilmark is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthChilmark 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 Chilmark. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Chilmark
MeasureChilmarkMarginMassachusetts
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure36.2%31.6–40.6%30.9%worse
High cholesterol38.9%34.3–43.4%35.4%about the same
Obesity24%17.9–30.8%27.7%about the same
Arthritis32.5%28.5–36.4%25.4%worse
Depression22.7%19.2–26.4%23.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)4.2%3.3–5.4%11.9%better
Asthma11.4%10–12.8%11.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)13.3%12–14.8%8.5%worse
Diabetes10.2%8.5–12%9.8%about the same
COPD5.9%4.7–7.5%5.9%about the same
Heart disease7.2%6.2–8.3%5.8%worse
Stroke3.3%2.9–3.9%3%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes8.2%6.2–10.6%11.3%better
Binge drink14.6%12–17.5%17%about the same
Get no exercise16.1%12.6–20.2%21.7%better
Sleep under 7 hours30.3%24.3–37.1%33.6%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup85.1%82.4–87.6%80.9%better
Dentist visit76.2%73.2–79.1%69.8%better
Cholesterol check93.9%92.9–94.8%89.7%better
Colon screening76.5%72.1–80.6%68.4%better
Mammogram85.3%79.8–90.1%83.7%about the same
Taking BP meds81.2%78.1–83.9%75.4%better
No health insurance2.8%2.2–3.6%5.2%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely28.1%23.2–32.8%34.2%better
Lack emotional support18.3%15–21.5%23.4%better
Frequent mental distress13.1%11.3–15.1%16.2%better
Fair or poor health13%10.5–15.8%16.3%better
Frequent physical distress11.7%9.8–13.8%12.3%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity6.1%4.7–7.7%12.4%better
Housing insecurity6.1%4.8–7.4%11.1%better
Utility shut-off threat4.2%3.4–5.1%7%better
No reliable transportation4.6%3.8–5.4%7.6%better
Receive SNAP7%5.2–8.9%14.1%
Disability
Any disability25.6%21.3–30.2%27.3%
Walking or climbing stairs11.5%9.3–14.1%11.6%
Thinking or memory10%8.4–11.9%13.7%
Hearing7.5%6.4–8.6%6%
Vision3.2%2.7–3.7%4.1%
Dressing or bathing2.6%2.1–3.1%3.1%
Errands alone5.7%4.7–6.9%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 Chilmark door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Massachusetts figure falls inside it, we don't call Chilmark better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Chilmark by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Chilmark 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