Photo: Ddogas · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Bethlehem Township is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Bethlehem Township differs from New Jersey on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 08802, 08827, 08804, 08826. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bethlehem Township
New Jersey sets a high bar
Bethlehem Township is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, but only 56% of the 468 New Jersey towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Bethlehem Township’s lead shrinks
Bethlehem Township is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, but 60% of the 3,366 towns with similar household incomes ($107K–$178K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and depression run high in Bethlehem Township
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.6%), vs 7.5% across New Jersey. 1 in 6 adults have been diagnosed with depression (17.9%), vs 15.1% across New Jersey. Conditions ↓
Bethlehem Township keeps up with checkups
It beats New Jersey on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (72.7% vs 65.9%) and cholesterol checks (90.6% vs 89.1%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Bethlehem Township adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below New Jersey. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the New Jersey figure falls outside Bethlehem Township’s likely range; Bethlehem Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 08802, 08827, 08804, 08826, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Bethlehem Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bethlehem Township is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, #204 of 468 in New Jersey. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 88% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 81%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Bethlehem Township’s median household income is $142,434; among the 3,366 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($107K–$178K), it’s healthier than 60%, about where its income would put it.
Most New Jersey towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Bethlehem Township is healthier than 56% of graded towns, against 90% nationally.
Out of every 100 Bethlehem Township adults…
Bethlehem Township runs below NJ on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bethlehem Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
4.9% of Bethlehem Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Care in and near Bethlehem Township
No hospital or community health center in Bethlehem Township itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Bethlehem Township; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
9.6 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Bethlehem Township adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Bethlehem Township runs above New Jersey.
1 in 3 Bethlehem Township adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Bethlehem Township and the towns around it
Bethlehem Township’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 8 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem Township | A | 28.4% | 9.3% | 10.3% | ZIP codes |
| Franklin Township | A | 30.2% | 9.3% | 10.7% | ZIP codes |
| Asbury | — | — | — | — | |
| Alexandria Township | A | 27% | 9.2% | 9.7% | ZIP codes |
| Holland Township | A | 27.2% | 9.1% | 9.8% | ZIP codes |
| Bloomsbury | — | — | — | — | |
| Lebanon Township | A | 28.1% | 9.3% | 10.4% | ZIP codes |
| Hampton | A | 28.6% | 9.3% | 11.1% | CDC place |
Asbury and Bloomsbury: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bethlehem Township adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bethlehem Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bethlehem Township is better than New Jersey on 12 and worse on 3; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Bethlehem Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bethlehem Township | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.5%12.6–16.6 | 17.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.6–13.4 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%13–16.2 | 14.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.4%24–33.4 | 28.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.3%8.2–10.6 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.1%29.1–35.3 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.5%36.2–42.9 | 39.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.4%22.9–28 | 22.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.4–10.3 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.8–10.3 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.2–6.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.4%4.6–6.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.9%6.4–9.6 | 9.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.3%8.6–12.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.4%17.4–23.7 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.7%14.4–19.3 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%28.3–38.1 | 37.5% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.5%5.5–7.8 | 11.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.3%75.5–81 | 78% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.7%70–75.4 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.6%89.4–91.8 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.3%75.7–80.8 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.9%65.8–73.8 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.2%69.8–82.1 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.9%15.6–20.5 | 15.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 31.6%27.8–35.3 | 32.4% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.4%17.7–23.1 | 24% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.6%7.2–10.3 | 14.3% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.8%6.6–9.1 | 12.3% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.7%4.1–5.5 | 7% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.2%4.5–5.9 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.9%3.9–6 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.3%20.3–26.5 | 24.8% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.3%8.9–11.8 | 11.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.5%9.3–11.9 | 11.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.8%5.2–6.5 | 5.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6%5.2–6.7 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.5–3.2 | 3.3% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the New Jersey figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bethlehem Township
Is Bethlehem Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bethlehem Township is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns: A for health, #204 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 60%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bethlehem Township?
CDC estimates 28.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 24% and 33.4%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bethlehem Township?
St. Luke's Warren Hospital in Phillipsburg, 9.1 miles in a straight line from Bethlehem Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bethlehem Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–7.8%), against 11.3% across New Jersey.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Bethlehem Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bethlehem Township.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Jersey figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.