The health in Springfield, MA is of great importance to the local community. Springfield is home to many hospitals and medical facilities that provide excellent care to its citizens. The city is also home to numerous clinics and doctors’ offices which offer preventative care for all ages and genders. Additionally, the city has implemented programs and initiatives that aim to improve access to healthcare services for low-income individuals who may not otherwise be able to afford them. These efforts include subsidies for medication and the creation of public health insurance programs. Furthermore, there are a wide variety of support groups throughout Springfield that help those in need find access to needed resources that can make a difference in their life. All these initiatives show just how much Springfield values its citizens’ health and wellbeing.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 225 physicians per 100,000 population in Springfield. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Springfield area is 83.6 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
83.6 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Springfield area is 68 (100=best). The US average is 55.
68 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Springfield area is 94 (100=best). The US average is 87.
94 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Springfield commutes 21.3 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Springfield area is 43 (100=best). The US average is 58.
43 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.