MA / county disease rankings
Counties with the highest premature death rates in Massachusetts
Among 14 Massachusetts counties with published values, the counties with the highest premature death rates are Hampden County, MA (8,991.6, 0.92 times the U.S. county median of 9,824.9), Berkshire County, MA (8,525.3, 0.87 times the U.S. county median of 9,824.9) and Bristol County, MA (7,889.6, 0.8 times the U.S. county median of 9,824.9). Values are years of life lost before 75 per 100,000.
Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. These are county-level figures, compared with the U.S. county median. A high rate does not prove an environmental cause: age, smoking, income, access to care, screening and chance all move county rates, and small counties swing widely.
All Massachusetts counties, highest first
Premature death, years of life lost before 75 per 100,000.
| Rank | County | State | Value | U.S. county median | Times reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hampden County | MA | 8,991.6 | 9,824.9 | 0.92x |
| 2 | Berkshire County | MA | 8,525.3 | 9,824.9 | 0.87x |
| 3 | Bristol County | MA | 7,889.6 | 9,824.9 | 0.8x |
| 4 | Barnstable County | MA | 7,271.6 | 9,824.9 | 0.74x |
| 5 | Worcester County | MA | 6,707.3 | 9,824.9 | 0.68x |
| 6 | Franklin County | MA | 6,666.5 | 9,824.9 | 0.68x |
| 7 | Plymouth County | MA | 6,525.1 | 9,824.9 | 0.66x |
| 8 | Suffolk County | MA | 6,117.2 | 9,824.9 | 0.62x |
| 9 | Essex County | MA | 5,853.4 | 9,824.9 | 0.6x |
| 10 | Hampshire County | MA | 5,587.3 | 9,824.9 | 0.57x |
| 11 | Nantucket County | MA | 4,854.9 | 9,824.9 | 0.49x |
| 12 | Norfolk County | MA | 4,629.1 | 9,824.9 | 0.47x |
| 13 | Dukes County | MA | 4,473.3 | 9,824.9 | 0.46x |
| 14 | Middlesex County | MA | 4,415.9 | 9,824.9 | 0.45x |