Health · Framingham

Framingham, MA health

Framingham differs from Massachusetts on 6 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more uninsured adults (6.6% vs 5.2%) and more adults without reliable transportation (9.6% vs 7.6%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Framingham
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Framingham’s Health Grade: A−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Framingham is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns.

B+Self-rated healthA-Physical distressB-Mental distressAObesityADiabetesA-SmokingB+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 80%
Less healthyHealthier
Massachusetts towns we grade (320)Healthier than 36%
Towns with similar incomes, $81K–$134K (7,035)Healthier than 67%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Framingham 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 Framingham 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. Framingham 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.
Report card

How Framingham 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 Framingham adults…

29 of every 100 Framingham adults have high blood pressure
Massachusetts: 31 in 100 · too close to call · margin 26.6–31.2%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Framingham, betterFramingham, worseToo close to callMassachusetts
Get no exerciseshare of adults 21.9% Framingham
MA 21.7%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 33.4% Framingham
MA 33.6%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.2% Framingham
MA 17%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.7% Framingham
MA 11.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%
Yearly checkup
MA 81%
69%
Dentist visit
MA 70%
89%
Cholesterol check
MA 90%
70%
Colon screening
MA 68%
82%
Mammogram
MA 84%
72%
Taking BP meds
MA 75%
1 in 15
working-age adults has no health insurance
Framingham 6.6% · Massachusetts 1 in 19 (5.2%)
Mind & connection

How Framingham adults are doing

1 in 3Framingham adults feel lonely
36.1% · Massachusetts 34.2% · too close to call
1 in 4Framingham adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.1% · Massachusetts 23.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Framingham adults lack social or emotional support
23.9% · Massachusetts 23.4% · too close to call
1 in 6Framingham adults are in frequent mental distress
16.9% · Massachusetts 16.2% · too close to call
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 7
Framingham adults worry about having enough food
14.8% · MA 12.4% · worse
1 in 7
Framingham adults worry about keeping their housing
13.4% · MA 11.1% · worse
1 in 12
Framingham adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
8.2% · MA 7% · worse
1 in 10
Framingham adults lack reliable transportation
9.6% · MA 7.6% · worse

16.5% of Framingham adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across Massachusetts.

Disability

Living with a disability

28.7%

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

Walking or climbing stairs11.8%
Thinking or memory15.3%
Hearing5.8%
Errands alone8.2%
Vision4.7%
Dressing or bathing3.4%

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

Around Framingham

Framingham 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 Framingham.

Wayland: 21.8% Natick: 23% Ashland: 24% Southborough: 27% Sherborn: 21.9% Sudbury: 22.1% Marlborough: 27.1% Weston: 20.7% Lincoln: 22% Dover: 20.9% Wellesley: 20.1% Hopkinton: 22.5% Westborough: 26.7% Holliston: 24% Medfield: 22.7% Millis: 24.4% Maynard: 24.9% Stow: 23.4% Concord: 22.6% Hudson: 25.6% Northborough: 28% Berlin: 29.9% Framingham: 26.3% Framingham Wayland Natick Ashland Southborough Sherborn Sudbury Marlborough Metrowest Medical Center · Framingham · 1.8 mi · 1★ MedicareH Marlborough Hospital · Marlborough · 6.8 mi · 2★ MedicareH Newton-Wellesley Hospital · Newton · 9.7 mi · 5★ MedicareH Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham · Needham · 10.4 mi · 5★ MedicareH Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center Framingham · Framingham · 2.4 mi+
20.1%29.9%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#18 of 23towns on this map, healthiest first
Wayland21.8%
Sherborn21.9%
Sudbury22.1%
Natick23%
Ashland24%
Framingham26.3%
Southborough27%
Marlborough27.1%
6 places to get careNearest ER 1.8 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 Framingham

1 hospital and 1 community health center in Framingham, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERMetrowest Medical CenterFramingham · 1.8 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyNewton-Wellesley Hospital★★★★★ · 9.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careEdward M Kennedy Community Health CenterFramingham · 2.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1.8 mi
Metrowest Medical Center
Framingham · ★★★★★
ERIn Framingham
2.4 mi
Edward M Kennedy Community Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Framingham
Sliding-scale feesIn Framingham
Directions to nearest
6.8 mi
Marlborough Hospital
Marlborough · ★★★★★
ER
9.7 mi
Newton-Wellesley Hospital
Newton · ★★★★★
ER
10.4 mi
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham
Needham · ★★★★★
ER
11.9 mi
Charles River Community Health
2 sites · nearest in Waltham
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
✓ Primary careFramingham is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careFramingham is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthFramingham 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 Framingham. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Framingham
MeasureFraminghamMarginMassachusetts
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure28.9%26.6–31.2%30.9%about the same
High cholesterol34.8%32.3–37.4%35.4%about the same
Obesity26.3%23–29.9%27.7%about the same
Arthritis24.1%22.2–26.1%25.4%about the same
Depression25.1%22.7–27.6%23.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)10.8%9.1–12.8%11.9%about the same
Asthma12.2%11.1–13.5%11.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)7.9%7.2–8.5%8.5%about the same
Diabetes9.5%8.5–10.6%9.8%about the same
COPD5.6%5–6.2%5.9%about the same
Heart disease5.4%4.9–5.9%5.8%about the same
Stroke2.9%2.7–3.2%3%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.7%10.3–13.1%11.3%about the same
Binge drink16.2%14.4–18.2%17%about the same
Get no exercise21.9%19.5–24.4%21.7%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours33.4%30.1–36.7%33.6%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79.1%76.8–81.4%80.9%about the same
Dentist visit68.9%66.4–71.2%69.8%about the same
Cholesterol check89.1%87.9–90.3%89.7%about the same
Colon screening70%66.9–72.9%68.4%about the same
Mammogram82.4%78.4–86.1%83.7%about the same
Taking BP meds72.2%69.6–74.8%75.4%worse
No health insurance6.6%5.7–7.5%5.2%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely36.1%33–39.3%34.2%about the same
Lack emotional support23.9%21.5–26.5%23.4%about the same
Frequent mental distress16.9%15.4–18.5%16.2%about the same
Fair or poor health17.3%15.6–18.9%16.3%about the same
Frequent physical distress12%10.8–13.2%12.3%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity14.8%13.3–16.4%12.4%worse
Housing insecurity13.4%12–14.9%11.1%worse
Utility shut-off threat8.2%7.2–9.2%7%worse
No reliable transportation9.6%8.6–10.6%7.6%worse
Receive SNAP16.5%14.8–18.2%14.1%
Disability
Any disability28.7%26.2–31.3%27.3%
Walking or climbing stairs11.8%10.5–13.1%11.6%
Thinking or memory15.3%13.9–16.8%13.7%
Hearing5.8%5.2–6.5%6%
Vision4.7%4.4–5.2%4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.4%3.1–3.7%3.1%
Errands alone8.2%7.4–9%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 Framingham door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Massachusetts figure falls inside it, we don't call Framingham better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Framingham directly, so these are its own figures.

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/18 · 2025-01-01