Photo: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Athens is healthier than 53%
Athens trails Pennsylvania on 9 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Athens. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Athens
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Athens
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.4%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.2%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. Stroke is also above the state: 4.6%, vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. In all, Athens runs above Pennsylvania on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Athens
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (19.8%), vs 15.8% across Pennsylvania. Habits ↓
Athens is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Athens is healthier than 26%. Against the 6,792 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$66K), it’s healthier than 53%. Health Grade ↓
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 Pennsylvania figure falls outside Athens’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Athens’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Athens is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns, #900 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 49% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Athens’ median household income is $53,000; among the 6,792 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$66K), it’s healthier than 53%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Athens adults…
Athens runs above PA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
0.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Athens
No hospital or community health center in Athens 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 Athens; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Keeping up with care
Share of Athens adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
How Athens adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Athens runs above Pennsylvania.
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.
Athens and the towns around it
Athens’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | C | 36.3% | 12.6% | 19.8% | CDC place |
| Athens Township | C+ | 35.4% | 12% | 18.5% | ZIP codes |
| Greens Landing | — | — | — | — | |
| Sayre | B | 33.7% | 10.8% | 16.3% | CDC place |
Greens Landing: 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 Athens adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Athens
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Athens is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Athens’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Athens | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.6%20.3–25.1 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.2–17.8 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.6–20.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.3%29.3–43.6 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.6%10.9–14.4 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.4%31.9–40.6 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.4%29.8–39 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.5%31.8–39.3 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.1–13 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.6–10.6 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.2%8.3–10.2 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.4%9.2–11.6 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.2–5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.9%13.8–20.6 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.8%17.5–22.2 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.6%23.4–32 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17%13.9–20.4 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.5%33–46.1 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%5.5–9.4 | 5.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.7%75–82 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.8%55–62.5 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85%82.2–87.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.8%77.8–83.4 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.1%63.1–72.5 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78%70.9–84.2 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.6%22–29.6 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.5%33.2–41.8 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.9%15.9–19.9 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%15.1–18.8 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.8%8.7–11 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.4%9.3–11.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Athens
Is Athens a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Athens is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #900 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Athens?
CDC estimates 36.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 43.6%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Athens?
Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, 2.6 miles in a straight line from Athens’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Athens have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–9.4%), 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 Athens more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Athens.
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.