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Community Health Data Center

Metrowest and Massachusetts: All Cancer Hospitalization Rate Per 100,000 Persons 65 and Over, 2003-2008
View sample data chart

Welcome to the Foundation’s Community Health Data Center.  The Health Data Center provides a source of information and analysis of key health indicators for 25 MetroWest communities.  Data is collected from state and federal resources and is searchable by category.

What's New

We have recently added Behavioral Risk Factor Survey data for 24 of our MetroWest communities. It is one of the most extensive town-by-town analysis done for any of the communities in the Commonwealth.

Data was collected from more than 2,400 MetroWest residents who were randomly surveyed by phone about their health from 2007 to 2009. The results of the phone survey and the 2010 Census were used to statistically predict the number and percentage of residents who are in good health, who smoke or drink, are obese, have diabetes or suffer from respiratory illnesses like asthma. 

How to Use the Health Data

The data is intended to be used for planning purposes and to help providers identify areas that are in need of intervention.

Additional Resources

For more health data, see our Community Health Links.

2012 Community Health Profiles

Child Overweight or Obesity Rates for the MetroWest Community 2010-2011

Sample Health Data Chart

Metrowest and Massachusetts all Cancer Hospitalization Rate per 100,000 Persons by Age Group and Historical Series


Understanding the Data

Average Annual Count 
The total number of cases counted in the time period specified, divided by the number of years. This helps control for measurement errors.

Age Adjusted Rate per 100,000
The average annual count divided by the population, adjusted for age distribution, and standardized. This allows for better comparison across communities and regions, even if they have small populations.

Margin of Error 
Produces a confidence interval so that 95% of the time, the value of the measurement listed would fall within the margin of error. This helps account for estimation errors, and helps determine if two measurements are significantly different than each other.

For more details, please see the notes for each measurement.