Health · Dennis

Dennis, MA health

Dennis differs from Massachusetts on 21 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing housing insecurity (6.9% vs 11.1%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (7.9% vs 12.4%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (14.8% vs 8.5%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 02660, 02638, 02639, 02670
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Dennis’s Health Grade: A−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Dennis is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns.

A-Self-rated healthB-Physical distressAMental distressAObesityBDiabetesA-SmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 83%
Less healthyHealthier
Massachusetts towns we grade (320)Healthier than 44%
Towns with similar incomes, $66K–$110K (9,312)Healthier than 89%

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

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

41 of every 100 Dennis adults have high blood pressure
Massachusetts: 31 in 100 · worse · margin 36.9–44.9%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Dennis, betterDennis, worseToo close to callMassachusetts
Get no exerciseshare of adults 19.5% Dennis
MA 21.7%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 29.9% Dennis
MA 33.6%
Binge drinkshare of adults 12.7% Dennis
MA 17%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 10.4% Dennis
MA 11.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

87%
Yearly checkup
MA 81%
75%
Dentist visit
MA 70%
94%
Cholesterol check
MA 90%
78%
Colon screening
MA 68%
83%
Mammogram
MA 84%
85%
Taking BP meds
MA 75%
1 in 29
working-age adults has no health insurance
Dennis 3.5% · Massachusetts 1 in 19 (5.2%)
Mind & connection

How Dennis adults are doing

1 in 3Dennis adults feel lonely
29.5% · Massachusetts 34.2% · better
1 in 5Dennis adults have been diagnosed with depression
21.9% · Massachusetts 23.8% · too close to call
1 in 5Dennis adults lack social or emotional support
20.6% · Massachusetts 23.4% · too close to call
1 in 8Dennis adults are in frequent mental distress
13.2% · 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
Dennis adults worry about having enough food
7.9% · MA 12.4% · better
1 in 14
Dennis adults worry about keeping their housing
6.9% · MA 11.1% · better
1 in 21
Dennis adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.8% · MA 7% · better
1 in 20
Dennis adults lack reliable transportation
5% · MA 7.6% · better

9.3% of Dennis adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.

Disability

Living with a disability

29.6%

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

Walking or climbing stairs14.7%
Thinking or memory11%
Hearing9%
Errands alone7%
Vision3.9%
Dressing or bathing3.3%

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

Around Dennis

Dennis 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 Dennis.

Yarmouth: 26.5% Brewster: 25.9% Harwich: 25.7% Barnstable Town: 27.8% Orleans: 25.1% Chatham: 25% Dennis: 26.2% Dennis Yarmouth Brewster Harwich Cape Cod Hospital · Hyannis · 6.6 mi · 2★ MedicareH Unit 1-10 Town Plaza Condominium South Dennis · South Dennis · 0.9 mi+ Ellen Jones Community Dental Clinic · South Dennis · 1.1 mi+
25%27.8%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#5 of 7towns on this map, healthiest first
Harwich25.7%
Brewster25.9%
Dennis26.2%
Yarmouth26.5%
6 places to get careNearest ER 6.6 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 Dennis

2 community health centers in Dennis, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERCape Cod HospitalHyannis · 6.6 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyFalmouth Hospital★★★★★ · 25.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careDuffy Health CenterSouth Dennis · 0.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.9 mi
Duffy Health Center
3 sites · nearest in South Dennis
Sliding-scale feesIn Dennis
Directions to nearest
1.1 mi
Harbor Health Services
2 sites · nearest in South Dennis
Sliding-scale feesIn Dennis
Directions to nearest
6.6 mi
Cape Cod Hospital
Hyannis · ★★★★★
ER
25.6 mi
Falmouth Hospital
Falmouth · ★★★★★
ER
27.4 mi
Martha's Vineyard Hospital
Oak Bluffs · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
29.7 mi
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Plymouth
Plymouth · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careDennis is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careDennis is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthDennis 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 Dennis. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Dennis
MeasureDennisMarginMassachusetts
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure40.8%36.9–44.9%30.9%worse
High cholesterol41.9%38–45.9%35.4%worse
Obesity26.2%21.4–31.4%27.7%about the same
Arthritis38.4%34.7–42.1%25.4%worse
Depression21.9%18.9–25.1%23.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)9.2%7.2–11.5%11.9%better
Asthma11.4%10.1–12.9%11.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)14.8%13.4–16.2%8.5%worse
Diabetes11.3%9.7–13.2%9.8%about the same
COPD7.8%6.4–9.1%5.9%worse
Heart disease8.8%7.6–10%5.8%worse
Stroke4.1%3.6–4.7%3%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes10.4%8.4–12.6%11.3%about the same
Binge drink12.7%10.6–15.1%17%better
Get no exercise19.5%15.9–23.5%21.7%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours29.9%25.1–35%33.6%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup86.6%84.2–88.7%80.9%better
Dentist visit74.8%71.7–77.7%69.8%better
Cholesterol check93.9%93–94.8%89.7%better
Colon screening78.1%73.9–81.8%68.4%better
Mammogram82.6%76.6–87.7%83.7%about the same
Taking BP meds84.5%81.9–86.8%75.4%better
No health insurance3.5%2.8–4.3%5.2%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely29.5%25.4–33.6%34.2%better
Lack emotional support20.6%17.5–23.9%23.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress13.2%11.5–15%16.2%better
Fair or poor health15.9%13.3–18.6%16.3%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.9%12–15.9%12.3%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity7.9%6.3–9.7%12.4%better
Housing insecurity6.9%5.7–8.2%11.1%better
Utility shut-off threat4.8%4–5.6%7%better
No reliable transportation5%4.3–5.9%7.6%better
Receive SNAP9.3%7.4–11.4%14.1%
Disability
Any disability29.6%25.4–33.9%27.3%
Walking or climbing stairs14.7%12.3–17.3%11.6%
Thinking or memory11%9.5–12.8%13.7%
Hearing9%7.9–10.3%6%
Vision3.9%3.4–4.6%4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.3%2.8–3.8%3.1%
Errands alone7%5.9–8.1%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 Dennis door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Massachusetts figure falls inside it, we don't call Dennis better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Dennis by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Dennis 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