Health · Middlesex

Middlesex, NJ health

On every measure CDC estimates, Middlesex looks like New Jersey as a whole: no difference is outside the margin of error.

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Middlesex

B+Health Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

B⁺

Middlesex’s Health Grade: B+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Middlesex is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns.

BSelf-rated healthA-Physical distressA-Mental distressB+ObesityB+DiabetesA-SmokingB-Exercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 71%

Less healthyHealthier

New Jersey towns we grade (529)Healthier than 28%

Towns with similar incomes, $79K–$131K (7,263)Healthier than 53%

Wealth explains part of the grade. Middlesex is healthier than 71% 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, Middlesex 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 New Jersey 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 Middlesex 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. Middlesex 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 Middlesex compares with New Jersey

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 Middlesex adults…

33 of every 100 Middlesex adults have high blood pressure

New Jersey: 33 in 100 · too close to call · margin 30.5–36.4%

Bars show Middlesex; the black tick is New Jersey. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Middlesex, betterMiddlesex, worseToo close to callNew Jersey

Get no exerciseshare of adults 25.6% Middlesex
NJ 24.8%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 37.7% Middlesex
NJ 37.5%

Binge drinkshare of adults 16.6% Middlesex
NJ 15.5%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 11.7% Middlesex
NJ 10.9%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Middlesex adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.

Yearly checkup

NJ 78%

Dentist visit

NJ 66%

Cholesterol check

NJ 89%

Colon screening

NJ 63%

Mammogram

NJ 76%

Taking BP meds

NJ 77%

1 in 8

working-age adults has no health insurance

Middlesex 11.9% · New Jersey 1 in 9 (11.3%)

Mind & connection

How Middlesex adults are doing

1 in 3Middlesex adults feel lonely

33.6% · New Jersey 32.4% · too close to call

1 in 7Middlesex adults have been diagnosed with depression

15% · New Jersey 15.1% · too close to call

1 in 4Middlesex adults lack social or emotional support

23.4% · New Jersey 24% · too close to call

1 in 6Middlesex adults are in frequent mental distress

15.5% · New Jersey 14.7% · 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

Middlesex adults worry about having enough food

14.3% · NJ 14.3% · about the same

1 in 8

Middlesex adults worry about keeping their housing

12.5% · NJ 12.3% · about the same

1 in 14

Middlesex adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

6.9% · NJ 7% · about the same

1 in 14

Middlesex adults lack reliable transportation

7.4% · NJ 7.4% · about the same

8.2% of Middlesex adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.

Disability

Living with a disability

26%

of Middlesex adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs11.6%

Thinking or memory12.3%

Hearing5.6%

Errands alone6.8%

Vision4.7%

Dressing or bathing3.3%

Black tick: New Jersey. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Middlesex

Middlesex 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 Middlesex.

23.6%37.7%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#16 of 22towns on this map, healthiest first

Bridgewater24.4%

Piscataway26.3%

Green Brook30.9%

Middlesex33.2%

Bound Brook33.3%

South Bound Brook33.6%

Dunellen37.7%

Care nearby

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital - SomersetSomerville · 5.1 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Saint Peter's University HospitalNew Brunswick · 5.4 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Robert Wood Johnson University HospitalNew Brunswick · 6.9 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Children's Specialized HospitalNew Brunswick · 6.9 mi · children's Directions Medicare profile

Neighborhood Health Center PlainfieldPlainfield · 2.8 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Zufall Health Center SomervilleSomerville · 5.9 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

✓ Primary careMiddlesex is not a shortage area

✓ Dental careMiddlesex is not a shortage area

✓ Mental healthMiddlesex is not a shortage area

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas. Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Middlesex. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Middlesex

Measure	Middlesex	Margin	New Jersey
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	33.4%	30.5–36.4%	32.8%	about the same
High cholesterol	38.5%	35.4–41.5%	39.3%	about the same
Obesity	33.2%	28.9–37.5%	28.9%	about the same
Arthritis	22.6%	20.3–24.8%	22.2%	about the same
Depression	15%	12.9–17.2%	15.1%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	9.5%	7.7–11.5%	9.6%	about the same
Asthma	9.2%	8.1–10.3%	8.9%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	7.3%	6.6–8%	7.5%	about the same
Diabetes	11%	9.6–12.3%	10.9%	about the same
COPD	5.2%	4.5–5.9%	5.1%	about the same
Heart disease	5.3%	4.8–5.9%	5.6%	about the same
Stroke	2.9%	2.6–3.2%	3.1%	about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	11.7%	10–13.6%	10.9%	about the same
Binge drink	16.6%	14.3–19%	15.5%	about the same
Get no exercise	25.6%	22.4–28.9%	24.8%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	37.7%	33.7–41.8%	37.5%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	78.1%	75.3–80.7%	78%	about the same
Dentist visit	67.8%	64.9–70.6%	65.9%	about the same
Cholesterol check	88.7%	87.2–90.1%	89.1%	about the same
Colon screening	64.7%	60.7–68.4%	63.4%	about the same
Mammogram	74.4%	68–80.2%	75.7%	about the same
Taking BP meds	75.8%	72.9–78.4%	77.2%	about the same
No health insurance	11.9%	10.1–13.9%	11.3%	about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	33.6%	30.2–37.3%	32.4%	about the same
Lack emotional support	23.4%	20.8–26.5%	24%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	15.5%	13.9–17.2%	14.7%	about the same
Fair or poor health	18.2%	16.1–20.4%	17.1%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	12.3%	10.9–13.7%	12.2%	about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	14.3%	12.3–16.6%	14.3%	about the same
Housing insecurity	12.5%	10.9–14.3%	12.3%	about the same
Utility shut-off threat	6.9%	6–7.9%	7%	about the same
No reliable transportation	7.4%	6.5–8.4%	7.4%	about the same
Receive SNAP	8.2%	6.8–9.7%	8.4%
Disability
Any disability	26%	23.2–29.1%	24.8%
Walking or climbing stairs	11.6%	10.2–13.1%	11.3%
Thinking or memory	12.3%	10.9–13.8%	11.5%
Hearing	5.6%	5–6.2%	5.7%
Vision	4.7%	4.2–5.2%	4.7%
Dressing or bathing	3.3%	3–3.7%	3.3%
Errands alone	6.8%	6–7.6%	6.6%

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 Middlesex door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the New Jersey figure falls inside it, we don't call Middlesex better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Middlesex directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Jersey 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.