Photo: Andrew Bossi · CC BY-SA 2.5On CDC estimates, Akron is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns
Akron trails Pennsylvania on 1 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Akron. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Akron
What’s behind Akron’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Akron is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, #530 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 73% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 30%).
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). Akron’s median household income is $76,569; among the 10,824 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$96K), it’s healthier than 63%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Akron adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Out of every 100 Akron adults…
On every condition, Akron is about the same as Pennsylvania. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Akron
No hospital or community health center in Akron 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 Akron; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
2.6 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How Akron adults are doing
About the same as Pennsylvania on each measure.
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.
Akron and the towns around it
Akron’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | B | 36.5% | 10.6% | 16.8% | CDC place |
| Ephrata Township | B | 35.1% | 10.9% | 16.2% | ZIP codes |
| West Earl Township | B | 35.3% | 10.7% | 16.8% | ZIP codes |
| Ephrata | B | 36.3% | 10.6% | 16.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Akron adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Akron
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Akron is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Akron’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Akron | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.2%16.1–20.4 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.8–15 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.6–19.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.5%29.4–44 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.6%9.1–12.3 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.9%28–35.7 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35%30.8–39.1 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.9%28.2–35.7 | 30.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.5 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8–9.9 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.4–8 | 7.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8%7.1–8.9 | 7.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.9%9.4–14.7 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.8%14.7–19.1 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.8%19–26.8 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.7%15.3–22.5 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.7%32.1–45.4 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.2%6.5–10.2 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.9%74–81.5 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65%61.2–68.6 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%81.3–86.4 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%75.4–81.7 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65%59.8–70.1 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%70.7–84.7 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.1%21.3–29 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.7%27.6–36 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.8%12.1–15.6 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.7%13.1–16.5 | 14.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.6–8.4 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.4–5.3 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7.3–9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 3.7% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Pennsylvania figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Akron
Is Akron a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Akron is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #530 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 63%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Akron?
CDC estimates 36.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.4% and 44%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Akron?
Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital in Ephrata, 2.2 miles in a straight line from Akron’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Akron have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–10.2%), against 5.8% across Pennsylvania.
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 Akron more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Akron.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Pennsylvania 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.