Health · Plainfield

Plainfield, NJ health

Plainfield differs from New Jersey on 25 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (4.4% vs 7.5%) and fewer adults with arthritis (18.9% vs 22.2%). Where it trails the state: more uninsured adults (27% vs 11.3%).

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

Plainfield’s Health Grade: C−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Plainfield is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns.

DSelf-rated healthCPhysical distressCMental distressB-ObesityC-DiabetesC+SmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 24%
Less healthyHealthier
New Jersey towns we grade (529)Healthier than 5%
Towns with similar incomes, $64K–$107K (9,431)Healthier than 10%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Plainfield could be anywhere from D to B−.
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 Plainfield 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. Plainfield 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 Plainfield 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 Plainfield adults…

36 of every 100 Plainfield adults have high blood pressure
New Jersey: 33 in 100 · worse · margin 33.3–39.5%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Plainfield, betterPlainfield, worseToo close to callNew Jersey
Get no exerciseshare of adults 34.6% Plainfield
NJ 24.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 45.6% Plainfield
NJ 37.5%
Binge drinkshare of adults 14.1% Plainfield
NJ 15.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 15.5% Plainfield
NJ 10.9%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

75%
Yearly checkup
NJ 78%
52%
Dentist visit
NJ 66%
85%
Cholesterol check
NJ 89%
58%
Colon screening
NJ 63%
74%
Mammogram
NJ 76%
75%
Taking BP meds
NJ 77%
1 in 4
working-age adults has no health insurance
Plainfield 27% · New Jersey 1 in 9 (11.3%)
Mind & connection

How Plainfield adults are doing

1 in 3Plainfield adults feel lonely
38% · New Jersey 32.4% · worse
1 in 7Plainfield adults have been diagnosed with depression
14.3% · New Jersey 15.1% · too close to call
1 in 3Plainfield adults lack social or emotional support
32.7% · New Jersey 24% · worse
1 in 6Plainfield adults are in frequent mental distress
18% · New Jersey 14.7% · worse
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 3
Plainfield adults worry about having enough food
33.2% · NJ 14.3% · worse
1 in 4
Plainfield adults worry about keeping their housing
27.7% · NJ 12.3% · worse
1 in 6
Plainfield adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
15.9% · NJ 7% · worse
1 in 6
Plainfield adults lack reliable transportation
15.8% · NJ 7.4% · worse

22.7% of Plainfield adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.

Disability

Living with a disability

32.4%

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

Walking or climbing stairs15.5%
Thinking or memory16.9%
Hearing5.2%
Errands alone10.3%
Vision9.1%
Dressing or bathing6%

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

Around Plainfield

Plainfield 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 Plainfield.

North Plainfield: 35.4% Watchung: 24% Scotch Plains: 24.1% Green Brook: 30.9% Dunellen: 37.7% Berkeley Heights: 21.8% Warren: 23.9% Clark: 25% Fanwood: 23.5% Westfield: 23% Middlesex: 33.2% Bridgewater: 24.4% Piscataway: 26.3% Plainfield: 36.1% Plainfield North Plainfield Watchung Scotch Plains Green Brook Dunellen Jfk University Medical Center · Edison · 5.2 mi · 3★ MedicareH Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Rahway · Rahway · 6.5 mi · 4★ MedicareH Neighborhood Health Center Plainfield · Plainfield · 2.4 mi+ Jewish Renaissance Foundation Community Health Center · Edison · 4 mi+
21.8%37.7%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#13 of 14towns on this map, healthiest first
Watchung24%
Scotch Plains24.1%
Green Brook30.9%
North Plainfield35.4%
Plainfield36.1%
Dunellen37.7%

Care in and near Plainfield

1 community health center in Plainfield, plus the nearest outside it. Nearest first.

Jfk University Medical CenterEdison · 5.2 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at RahwayRahway · 6.5 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Overlook Medical CenterSummit · 7.4 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Saint Peter's University HospitalNew Brunswick · 8.2 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Neighborhood Health Center PlainfieldPlainfield · 2.4 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
Jewish Renaissance Foundation Community Health CenterEdison · 4 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
✓ Primary carePlainfield is not a shortage area
✓ Dental carePlainfield is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthPlainfield 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 Plainfield. 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 Plainfield
MeasurePlainfieldMarginNew Jersey
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure36.3%33.3–39.5%32.8%worse
High cholesterol35.9%32.7–39.4%39.3%about the same
Obesity36.1%31.2–41.3%28.9%worse
Arthritis18.9%16.8–21.1%22.2%better
Depression14.3%12.2–16.7%15.1%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)17.7%14.7–21%9.6%worse
Asthma9.9%8.8–11.2%8.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)4.4%4–4.9%7.5%better
Diabetes14.4%12.7–16.2%10.9%worse
COPD6%5.4–6.7%5.1%worse
Heart disease5.8%5.2–6.5%5.6%about the same
Stroke4%3.7–4.3%3.1%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes15.5%13.6–17.6%10.9%worse
Binge drink14.1%12–16.6%15.5%about the same
Get no exercise34.6%30.8–38.6%24.8%worse
Sleep under 7 hours45.6%41–50.3%37.5%worse
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup74.7%71.6–77.9%78%worse
Dentist visit51.6%48.3–54.8%65.9%worse
Cholesterol check84.6%82.8–86.4%89.1%worse
Colon screening57.7%53.2–62.2%63.4%worse
Mammogram73.8%67–79.9%75.7%about the same
Taking BP meds75.2%72.6–77.8%77.2%about the same
No health insurance27%24.5–29.7%11.3%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely38%34.2–42%32.4%worse
Lack emotional support32.7%29.3–36.3%24%worse
Frequent mental distress18%16.1–20%14.7%worse
Fair or poor health27.6%25–30.5%17.1%worse
Frequent physical distress15.6%14–17.4%12.2%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity33.2%30.1–36.4%14.3%worse
Housing insecurity27.7%24.9–30.6%12.3%worse
Utility shut-off threat15.9%14.1–17.8%7%worse
No reliable transportation15.8%14.2–17.5%7.4%worse
Receive SNAP22.7%20.2–25.5%8.4%
Disability
Any disability32.4%29–36.1%24.8%
Walking or climbing stairs15.5%13.7–17.3%11.3%
Thinking or memory16.9%15.1–18.7%11.5%
Hearing5.2%4.6–5.9%5.7%
Vision9.1%8.4–9.9%4.7%
Dressing or bathing6%5.5–6.5%3.3%
Errands alone10.3%9.3–11.4%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 Plainfield 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 Plainfield better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Plainfield 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.

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