Children And Youth
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels


Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels

What does this measure?

The percentage of screened children aged 9 months to 4 years that had confirmed elevated blood lead levels, expressed as a rate per 1,000 children ages 0 to 4.

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 doing?

In 2019, Essex County screened 73% of children aged 9 months to 4 years, and detected high lead levels in 64 children, for a rate of 2.7 per 1,000 children. This was slightly lower than the statewide rate of 2.6, and a 40% decline since 2010. Within Essex County, the cities of Lynn and Methuen had the highest rates in 2019 - at 5.6 and 5.0, respectively - although Lynn was a reduction in rate since 2010.

How do we compare to other counties?

Essex County had a higher rate than Middlesex, MA (1.7 per 1,000) but had less improvement since 2010 compared to Middlesex where the rate fell 44% from 2010 to 2019. Both counties have improved the rate by about 40%.

Notes on the data

Comparable data was not available for Lake, IL. Westchester County, NY. 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 and higher micrograms per deciliter, and is included in the figures.

Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels
2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Essex County, MA4.63.54.53.53.83.02.83.12.62.7
Amesbury0.00.00.00.0
Beverly0.00.00.0
Gloucester11.18.6
Haverhill7.13.98.64.66.23.34.43.54.54.7
Lawrence6.67.67.45.64.55.35.34.53.42.9
Lynn8.35.57.26.58.66.05.56.94.15.6
Methuen4.05.23.90.72.22.40.82.43.35.0
Newburyport0.00.0
Peabody4.40.01.50.70.02.30.70.70.00.0
Salem1.62.43.93.23.2
Andover0.00.00.0
Boxford0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Danvers0.00.00.0
Essex0.03.24.43.64.63.52.43.56.04.2
Georgetown0.00.00.00.00.0
Groveland0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Hamilton0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Ipswich0.00.00.00.00.0
Lynnfield0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Manchester0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Marblehead0.00.00.00.0
Merrimac0.00.00.00.0
Middleton0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Nahant0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Newbury0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
North Andover0.00.00.0
Rockport0.00.00.0
Rowley0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Salisbury0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Saugus0.0
Swampscott0.00.0
Topsfield0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Wenham0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
West Newbury0.00.00.00.00.00.00.0
Middlesex County, MA3.12.82.82.32.52.42.32.42.21.7
Westchester County, NY4.24.13.35.73.92.63.64.53.12.9
Massachusetts4.43.53.73.33.83.43.73.22.82.6
United States6.05.45.85.85.15.15.35.04.1

Source: Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis, New York State Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Notes: Per 1,000 Children. Data not available for every geography due to nondisclosure.




Number of Children Tested with Elevated Blood Lead Levels
2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Essex County, MA1048210382886964716164
Amesbury0000
Beverly000
Gloucester86
Haverhill1581791268687
Lawrence23262619151717151111
Lynn33212825342321271722
Methuen5651331346
Newburyport00
Peabody6021031100
Salem23544
Andover000
Boxford00000000
Danvers000
Essex05768646107
Georgetown00000
Groveland00000000
Hamilton000000000
Ipswich00000
Lynnfield000000000
Manchester0000000000
Marblehead0000
Merrimac0000
Middleton00000000
Nahant00000000
Newbury00000000
North Andover000
Rockport000
Rowley000000000
Salisbury000000000
Saugus0
Swampscott00
Topsfield0000000000
Wenham000000000
West Newbury0000000
Middlesex County, MA11810010084918786908264
Westchester County, NY1121088415210355721047066
Massachusetts817628654598668594651556493457
United States25,61722,15217,43712,94613,12313,05614,43714,19513,748

Source: Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis, New York State Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Notes: Data not available for every geography due to nondisclosure.




INDICATORS TREND | ESSEX COUNTY
People 65 or Older Living Alone Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Prevalence of Overweight Adults Not Applicable
Preterm Births Increasing
Infant Mortality Rate Maintaining
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels Decreasing
Children Living in Poverty Increasing
Children Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Live Births to Teen Mothers Decreasing
Youth Arrests Decreasing
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Maintaining
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Employment Maintaining
Tourism Spending Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Charitable Contributions Maintaining
Protected Land Not Applicable
Days with Good Air Quality Increasing
Beach Contamination Increasing
Daily Water Use per Resident Decreasing
Crimes Against People Maintaining
Crimes Against Property Decreasing
Drug-Related Arrests Maintaining
Reports of Domestic Violence Increasing
Incarceration Rates Decreasing
Recidivism Decreasing
Households Without Vehicles Decreasing
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Maintaining
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age/Sex Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Households by Type Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Sex Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Increasing
Change in Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Median Earnings by Occupation by Gender Not Applicable
People Entering/Leaving County for Work Not Applicable
Employer Size Not Applicable
Self-Employment Revenue Increasing
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Female Enrollment in School Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
Per-Student Spending Increasing
Bullying Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 English Language Arts Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
Bachelor's Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Income in Relation to Poverty Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Increasing
Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Living Wage Rate by Household Type Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Increasing
Households Receiving Federal Food Assistance Increasing
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Earned Income Tax Credit Participation Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students Increasing
Median Home Value Increasing
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Renting Increasing
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeless Persons Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Medical Care Expenses Increasing
Prevalence of Children with Asthma Maintaining
Prevalence of Overweight Children Maintaining
Diabetes Incidence Decreasing
Chronic Disease Among Older Adults Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Cancer Mortality Rate Decreasing
Heart Disease Mortality Rate Decreasing
Mortality Rate Decreasing
People who Smoke Not Applicable
Use of Illegal Drugs Not Applicable
Youth Use of Illegal Drugs Not Applicable
Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Not Applicable
Drug Overdose Mortality Rate Increasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Suicide Rate Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 English Language Arts Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Bachelor's Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable