Needham, MA (02494) is a picturesque suburban town in the greater Boston area. Despite its beauty, Needham faces similar health concerns to many other American towns. The Needham Public Health Department monitors and addresses threats to public health by providing education and resources on infectious diseases, nutrition, mental health, tobacco use prevention, immunizations and more. Healthcare is readily available in Needham for those who need it with several local hospitals such as Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham, Newton-Wellesley Hospital and Norwood Hospital providing state-of-the-art care. Medical facilities such as Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary and Lahey Clinic Medical Center of Needham also provide medical services to the community. The town has many dedicated professionals focused on helping residents maintain their optimal level of health through preventative measures and early detection.
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 Unlock physicians per 100,000 population in Needham (zip 02494). The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Needham (zip 02494) area is Unlock. The US average is 100.
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Needham (zip 02494) area is Unlock. The US average is 55.
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 Needham (zip 02494) area is Unlock. The US average is 87.
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 Needham (zip 02494) commutes Unlock minutes one-way, which is longer than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Needham (zip 02494) area is Unlock. The US average is 58.
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.