How healthy is Forked River?
Forked River differs from New Jersey on 7 of 40 measures. It has fewer uninsured adults (9% vs 11.3%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (11.6% vs 14.3%). Where it trails the state: more smokers (14.4% vs 10.9%).
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Forked River. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Forked River
Read from the numbers below. The page puts what stands out first.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Forked River adults…
Forked River runs above NJ on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Forked River is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across New Jersey. Copd, arthritis and cancer (not skin) rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Forked River as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Forked River
No hospital or community health center in Forked River itself. These are the nearest.
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 Forked River; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Forked River adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
How Forked River adults are doing
About the same as New Jersey on each measure.
1 in 3 Forked River adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.1% of Forked River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Forked River and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Forked River adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Not graded
CDC doesn't publish all seven estimates the grade is built on for Forked River, so we show its figures without a grade.
All 40 CDC measures for Forked River
| Measure | Forked River | Likely range | New Jersey | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 32.8% | 30–35.8% | 32.8% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 41.5% | 38.3–44.7% | 39.3% | about the same |
| Obesity | 30.5% | 26.4–34.8% | 28.9% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 28.1% | 25.6–30.8% | 22.2% | worse |
| Depression | 17.1% | 14.8–19.6% | 15.1% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 9.8% | 7.8–11.8% | 9.6% | about the same |
| Asthma | 9.5% | 8.4–10.6% | 8.9% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9% | 8.2–9.9% | 7.5% | worse |
| Diabetes | 10.4% | 9.1–11.9% | 10.9% | about the same |
| COPD | 6.5% | 5.5–7.5% | 5.1% | worse |
| Heart disease | 6.3% | 5.5–7% | 5.6% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.3% | 2.9–3.6% | 3.1% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4% | 12–17% | 10.9% | worse |
| Binge drink | 16% | 13.8–18.5% | 15.5% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 24.6% | 21.3–28.2% | 24.8% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37% | 32.8–41.5% | 37.5% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 76.4% | 73.3–79.1% | 78% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 67.6% | 64.5–70.6% | 65.9% | about the same |
| Cholesterol check | 88.5% | 86.8–90.1% | 89.1% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 66.7% | 62.5–70.9% | 63.4% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 75.7% | 69.4–81.3% | 75.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 78.4% | 75.7–80.9% | 77.2% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 9% | 7.6–10.9% | 11.3% | better |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 29.9% | 26.5–33.4% | 32.4% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 22.2% | 19.4–25.2% | 24% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 16.1% | 14.2–18.1% | 14.7% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 16.5% | 14.3–18.9% | 17.1% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 13.8% | 12.2–15.5% | 12.2% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 11.6% | 9.5–13.8% | 14.3% | better |
| Housing insecurity | 10% | 8.4–11.7% | 12.3% | better |
| Utility shut-off threat | 6.2% | 5.2–7.2% | 7% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 6.6% | 5.7–7.7% | 7.4% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 7.1% | 5.6–8.6% | 8.4% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.1% | 23–29.4% | 24.8% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 11.8% | 10.1–13.6% | 11.3% | |
| Thinking or memory | 12.4% | 10.7–14.1% | 11.5% | |
| Hearing | 6.5% | 5.8–7.4% | 5.7% | |
| Vision | 4.2% | 3.8–4.7% | 4.7% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.4% | 2.9–3.8% | 3.3% | |
| Errands alone | 7.2% | 6.3–8.1% | 6.6% | |
How CDC estimates town health
CDC combines a large national health survey with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Forked River door to door.
Every figure has a likely range. When the New Jersey figure falls inside it, we don’t call Forked River better or worse.
CDC publishes Forked River directly, so these are its own figures.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Forked River.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Jersey figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.