Photo: Photo by and (c)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) · CC BY-SA 2.5Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Brecknock Township is healthier than 26%
Brecknock Township trails Pennsylvania on 3 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 17517, 17555, 19540, 17519. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brecknock Township
Brecknock Township trails towns with similar incomes
Brecknock Township is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns, and only 26% of the 8,715 towns with similar household incomes ($74K–$124K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
1 in 12 working-age adults in Brecknock Township has no health insurance
8.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.8% across Pennsylvania. Checkups ↓
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 Brecknock Township’s likely range; Brecknock Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 17517, 17555, 19540, 17519, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Brecknock Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brecknock Township is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns, #634 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 71% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Brecknock Township’s median household income is $99,238; among the 8,715 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($74K–$124K), it’s healthier than 26%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Keeping up with care
Share of Brecknock Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Out of every 100 Brecknock Township adults…
Brecknock Township runs above PA on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Brecknock Township
No hospital or community health center in Brecknock 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 Brecknock Township; ≈ 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.
1.6 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Brecknock Township 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.
Brecknock Township and the towns around it
Brecknock Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brecknock Township | B− | 35.3% | 10.7% | 18.5% | ZIP codes |
| East Cocalico Township | B | 35.4% | 10.6% | 17.2% | ZIP codes |
| Caernarvon Township | C+ | 35% | 10.4% | 19.7% | ZIP codes |
| East Earl Township | C | 35.1% | 11.6% | 19.1% | ZIP codes |
| Swartzville | — | — | — | — | |
| Fivepointville | — | — | — | — | |
| Brecknock Township | B+ | 33.5% | 10.9% | 15.5% | ZIP codes |
| Earl Township | C+ | 35.2% | 12.1% | 17.6% | ZIP codes |
Swartzville: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Fivepointville: 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 Brecknock Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brecknock Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brecknock Township is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Brecknock Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brecknock Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.6%17.5–21.9 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.4–15.7 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%16–19.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.3%28.5–42.6 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.7%9.2–12.3 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.7%27.9–35.6 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.5%31.3–39.7 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.9%28.2–35.7 | 30.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8–9.8 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.8–8.4 | 7.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.7%7.8–9.7 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.2%10.6–15.9 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.5%16.2–20.9 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24.3%20.4–28.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19%15.6–22.8 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.7%32.2–45.4 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%6.9–9.9 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.9%72.9–80.5 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.3%59.5–66.8 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.8%81.2–86.1 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.6%75.1–81.6 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.7%60.4–70.6 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.6%66.6–81.5 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.2%21.5–29.1 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.3%29.2–37.5 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.5%12.8–16.3 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%14.3–17.8 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.8 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.7–5.6 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.8–9.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 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 Brecknock Township
Is Brecknock Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brecknock Township is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #634 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 Brecknock Township?
CDC estimates 35.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.5% and 42.6%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brecknock Township?
Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital in Ephrata, 8.2 miles in a straight line from Brecknock Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Brecknock Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.9–9.9%), 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 Brecknock Township 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 Brecknock Township.
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.