Health And Wellbeing
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels
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Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Health

What does this measure?

The percentage of screened children aged nine months to four years that had confirmed elevated blood lead levels, expressed as a rate per 1,000 children ages zero to four.

Why is this important?

Exposure to lead, even small amounts, significantly increases a child's risk of developing long-lasting cognitive, physiological and behavioral problems.

How is our county performing?

In 2021, Worcester County screened 63% of children aged nine months to four years, and detected high lead levels in 24 children, for a rate of 1.3 per 1,000 children. This was lower than the statewide rate of 2.8 and a 50% decline since 2010 when the rate was 2.6.

Notes about the data

A blood lead level is confirmed as elevated when there are 10 or more micrograms per deciliter of lead present in the blood specimen. Lead poisoning is confirmed at 25 micrograms per deciliter or higher, and is included in the figures.

Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels
201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Worcester County321222322111
Athol000000000000
Clinton000000000000
Fitchburg1060000704000
Gardner00000014150000
Northbridge000000000000
Southbridge000181301500000
Spencer000000000000
Webster0000000001400
Westborough000000000000
Worcester654455545355
Massachusetts444343433333
Additional Worcester County localities
Ashburnham000000000000
Auburn000000000000
Barre000000000000
Berlin000000000000
Blackstone000000000000
Bolton000000000000
Boylston000000000000
Brookfield000000000000
Charlton000000000000
Douglas000000000000
Dudley000000000000
East Brookfield000000000000
Grafton000000000000
Hardwick000000000000
Harvard000000000000
Holden000000000000
Hopedale000000000000
Hubbardston000000000000
Lancaster000000000000
Leicester000000000000
Lunenburg000000000000
Mendon000000000000
Milford000077700000
Millbury000000000000
Millville000000000000
New Braintree000000000000
Northborough000000000000
North Brookfield000000000000
Oakham000000000000
Oxford000000000000
Paxton000000000000
Petersham000000000000
Phillipston000000000000
Princeton000000000000
Royalston000000000000
Rutland000000000000
Shrewsbury000000600000
Southborough000000000000
Sterling000000000000
Sturbridge000000000000
Sutton000000000000
Templeton000000000000
Upton000000000000
Uxbridge000000000000
Warren0000630000000
West Boylston000000000000
West Brookfield000000000000
Westminster000000000000
Winchendon000000000000
Leominster300000000000

Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Notes: Rates are per 1,000 children ages 9 to 47 months that were screened.




Number of Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels
201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Worcester County563726324634613232222224
AtholN/AN/AN/A0N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
ClintonN/AN/A00N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A0
Fitchburg148N/AN/AN/AN/A8N/A5N/AN/AN/A
GardnerN/A0N/AN/AN/AN/A67N/AN/AN/AN/A
NorthbridgeN/AN/AN/AN/A00N/AN/AN/AN/A00
SouthbridgeN/AN/AN/A86N/A6N/A0N/AN/AN/A
SpencerN/A0N/AN/AN/AN/A0N/A00N/A0
WebsterN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A0N/AN/AN/A6N/AN/A
WestboroughN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Worcester382926242828292527162224
Massachusetts817628654598668594651556493457430448
Additional Worcester County localities
Ashburnham0N/AN/A0N/A0000N/A0N/A
Auburn00000000000N/A
BarreN/A0000N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A0
Berlin00N/AN/AN/AN/A000000
Blackstone000N/A000000N/AN/A
Bolton000000000000
Boylston00000N/AN/A00000
BrookfieldN/A000N/AN/A00000N/A
Charlton0N/AN/A000N/A00000
DouglasN/A0N/A00N/AN/AN/A0000
Dudley0N/AN/A000N/A0N/A000
East Brookfield0000000000N/A0
GraftonN/AN/A00N/A000N/AN/A0N/A
HardwickN/A000000N/AN/A000
Harvard000000000000
Holden0N/A0000N/A0N/A0N/A0
Hopedale00N/A000N/A0N/AN/A00
Hubbardston00N/A000000000
LancasterN/A0N/A0N/A0000000
Leicester000N/AN/A0N/A00N/A00
LunenburgN/A00N/AN/AN/A0N/AN/A00N/A
Mendon00000N/AN/A00000
MilfordN/AN/AN/AN/A666N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Millbury0N/AN/AN/A0N/A00N/AN/AN/A0
Millville000N/AN/A0000000
New Braintree0000000N/A0000
Northborough00N/A000N/AN/A000N/A
North BrookfieldN/AN/AN/A000000000
Oakham000000000000
Oxford000N/AN/A0N/A00000
Paxton000000000000
Petersham000000N/A00000
Phillipston0000000000N/A0
Princeton0000N/A0000000
Royalston000000000000
Rutland00000N/AN/A0N/AN/A0N/A
ShrewsburyN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A6N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Southborough00000000N/A000
Sterling0000000N/A0000
Sturbridge00000N/AN/AN/AN/A000
Sutton000N/AN/A0N/AN/A0N/A00
TempletonN/AN/AN/A00N/A0N/A0N/A0N/A
Upton0000N/A000000N/A
UxbridgeN/A00N/AN/A00N/A0000
WarrenN/A0N/A06N/A00000N/A
West Boylston000000000000
West Brookfield0000N/AN/AN/AN/A0000
Westminster0000N/AN/AN/A0000N/A
WinchendonN/AN/AN/A0N/AN/A0N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Leominster4N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A

Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Notes: Number of children ages 9 to 47 months that were screened and had elevated blood lead levels.







INDICATORS TREND
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments 1
Increasing
Average Charitable Contribution 0
Maintaining
Households With Internet Access 1
Increasing
Protected Land 10 Not Applicable*
Voter Participation Rate -1
Decreasing
Voter Registration Rate 0
Maintaining
Arrest Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Change in Total Population 1
Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Foreign-Born Population 1
Increasing
Language Diversity 1
Increasing
Population by Age -1
Decreasing
Households by Type 0
Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Median Household Income 0
Maintaining
Household Income by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
80/20 Income Ratio 0
Maintaining
Income in Relation to Poverty Level 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Age 1
Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Overall Housing Cost Burden -1
Decreasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Median Home Value by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Homelessness 10 Not Applicable*
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance 0
Maintaining
Households Without Vehicles 0
Maintaining
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Change in Average Salary by Sector 10 Not Applicable*
Female to Male Earnings Ratio 0
Maintaining
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Employer Size 1
Increasing
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Self-Employment Revenue 0
Maintaining
People Entering/Leaving County for Work 1
Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Preterm Births 10 Not Applicable*
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels -1
Decreasing
Prevalence of Children with Asthma 1
Increasing
People with Disabilities 1
Increasing
People Without Health Insurance -1
Decreasing
Cancer Incidence 0
Maintaining
Diabetes Incidence -1
Decreasing
Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions 1
Increasing
Opioid Overdose Mortality Rate 1
Increasing
Children Living in Poverty 0
Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students 1
Increasing
Disengaged Youth -1
Decreasing
Prekindergarten Participation -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Student Group 1
Increasing
Arrest Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Household Income by Race/Ethnicity 0
Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Median Home Value by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Business Ownership, by Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 1
Increasing
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity 10 Not Applicable*
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 English, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math, by Student Subgroup -1
Decreasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate, by Student Group 1
Increasing





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