Health in Boston, Massachusetts: official figures
2.9% of residents of Boston (19,311 people) had no health insurance in 2020-2024, 42nd lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 8.4%; Massachusetts: 2.6%).
How many children in Boston are uninsured?
In Boston, 2.0% of children under 19 and 3.5% of adults aged 19 to 64 were uninsured in 2020-2024, against 0.9% of those 65 and over (US: 5.5%, 11.7% and 0.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Boston are on Medicaid?
21.7% of residents of Boston under 65 had Medicaid or other means-tested public coverage as their only health insurance in 2020-2024, 278th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 18.1%; Massachusetts: 18.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Boston have a disability?
12.4% of residents of Boston (82,364 people) reported a disability in 2020-2024, 395th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 13.3%; Massachusetts: 12.3%); 5.9% had two or more types of disability.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many older people in Boston have a disability?
By age, 37.0% of residents of Boston aged 65 and over, 9.4% of those aged 18 to 64 and 6.1% of children under 18 reported a disability in 2020-2024 (US: 32.9%, 10.9% and 4.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the obesity rate in Boston, Massachusetts?
An estimated 25.1% of adults in Boston had obesity in 2023, joint 109th lowest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow common is diabetes in Boston?
An estimated 10.3% of adults in Boston had been told by a doctor that they have diabetes, joint 361st lowest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow is mental health in Boston?
An estimated 16.9% of adults in Boston reported poor mental health on 14 or more of the past 30 days, joint 314th lowest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate, and 22.8% had ever been told they have depression (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow many adults in Boston have high blood pressure?
In Boston, an estimated 29.5% of adults had high blood pressure and 24.8% did no physical activity outside work, joint 387th highest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate for physical inactivity (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow many adults in Boston see a doctor for a check-up?
An estimated 79.9% of adults in Boston had a routine check-up with a doctor in the past year, joint 49th highest of 810 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow Boston compares with other cities in the United States
Residents without health insurance (2020-2024)
Boston ranks 782 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents without health insurance |
|---|---|---|
| 779 | Sunnyvale | 2.9% |
| 780 | Elk Grove | 2.9% |
| 781 | Union City | 2.9% |
| 782 | Boston | 2.9% |
| 783 | Santa Clara | 2.9% |
| 784 | Rochester Hills | 2.9% |
| 785 | Waltham | 2.9% |
Residents with a disability (2020-2024)
Boston ranks 395 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents with a disability |
|---|---|---|
| 392 | Manteca | 12.5% |
| 393 | Conway | 12.4% |
| 394 | St. Paul | 12.4% |
| 395 | Boston | 12.4% |
| 396 | Columbus | 12.4% |
| 397 | West Covina | 12.4% |
| 398 | New York | 12.4% |
Adults with obesity (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Boston ranks 699 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults with obesity (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 696 | Waltham | 25.3% |
| 697 | Brookhaven | 25.3% |
| 698 | New York | 25.2% |
| 699 | Boston | 25.1% |
| 700 | Skokie | 25.1% |
| 701 | Parker | 25.1% |
| 702 | Weymouth Town | 25.1% |
Adults with diagnosed diabetes (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Boston ranks 435 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults with diagnosed diabetes (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 432 | Council Bluffs | 10.4% |
| 433 | Bowie | 10.4% |
| 434 | Cuyahoga Falls | 10.4% |
| 435 | Boston | 10.3% |
| 436 | St. Petersburg | 10.3% |
| 437 | Pearland | 10.3% |
| 438 | Nampa | 10.3% |
Adults who smoke cigarettes (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Boston ranks 478 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults who smoke cigarettes (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 475 | Kennewick | 11.9% |
| 476 | North Richland Hills | 11.9% |
| 477 | Coconut Creek | 11.9% |
| 478 | Boston | 11.8% |
| 479 | Fairfield | 11.8% |
| 480 | Richmond | 11.8% |
| 481 | Avondale | 11.8% |
Adults with 14+ poor mental health days a month (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Boston ranks 484 of 810, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults with 14+ poor mental health days a month (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 481 | La Habra | 17.0% |
| 482 | West Allis | 17.0% |
| 483 | Hempstead | 17.0% |
| 484 | Boston | 16.9% |
| 485 | St. Paul | 16.9% |
| 486 | Laredo | 16.9% |
| 487 | Roseville | 16.9% |
More on Boston: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table C18108: Age by Number of Disabilities (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 8116247db31952c99ba053e6b0c767675a9674703b6b32e7705f1e4952f3b426), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b8f09efa878c…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B27010: Types of Health Insurance Coverage by Age (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 2ceba99dada3ec1042310e1dc1f00bcc819de765c3143028aa000df025012a69), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3db662ef4cb3…)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: PLACES: Place Data (GIS Friendly Format), 2025 release: model-based age-adjusted prevalence among adults, for every place (data.cdc.gov API, columns used), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b2174bcc660f…)
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