South Thomaston, Maine is a small town located in Knox County. It is home to just over 1,000 residents and has a unique population mix of native Americans, long-time generations of settlers, and new arrivals. The health needs of this community are diverse and the town takes great care to ensure that all residents have access to quality medical care.
The town has two local hospitals – Miles Memorial Hospital in Damariscotta and Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockland – that take on most cases for South Thomaston. Both hospitals offer emergency services as well as a wide range of medical services such as primary care, specialty care, surgery, radiology, laboratory services, and behavioral health services. In addition, there are several local clinics providing general practice and specialized medical care for minor illnesses or injuries. For more complex issues there are also numerous regional referral centers just a short drive away such as Midcoast Hospital in Brunswick and Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft.
Given the rich array of health resources available within the community, South Thomaston is an ideal location for ensuring that people can receive proper medical attention during times of need.
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 279 physicians per 100,000 population in South Thomaston. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the South Thomaston area is 102.2 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
102.2 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the South Thomaston area is 70 (100=best). The US average is 55.
70 / 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 South Thomaston area is 69 (100=best). The US average is 87.
69 / 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 South Thomaston commutes 17.4 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 South Thomaston area is 91 (100=best). The US average is 58.
91 / 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.