Photo: Smallbones · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Bristol is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns
Bristol trails Pennsylvania on 4 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bristol. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bristol
What’s behind Bristol’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bristol is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns, #806 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 61% 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). Bristol’s median household income is $76,042; among the 10,826 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$95K), it’s healthier than 34%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Bristol adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Out of every 100 Bristol adults…
On every condition, Bristol is about the same as Pennsylvania. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Bristol
No hospital or community health center in Bristol 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 Bristol; ≈ 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.
0.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How Bristol 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.
Bristol and the towns around it
Bristol’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | C+ | 34.7% | 12% | 18.6% | CDC place |
| Bristol Township | C+ | 33.6% | 11.8% | 18.5% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bristol adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bristol
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bristol is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Bristol’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bristol | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.8%19.6–24.3 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.4–16.8 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%16.4–20.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.7%28.4–41.3 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12%10.4–13.8 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.3%29–36 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.9%29.1–36.7 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.9%27.3–34.4 | 30.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.7 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.2%7.4–9.1 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.7–8.2 | 7.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.2%7.4–9.2 | 7.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.3%13.3–19.6 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.6%16.4–21 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.8%22.8–30.9 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.6%14.5–21 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.4%34.4–46.5 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.8%8.3–11.5 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.3%73.6–80.8 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.8%57.2–64.5 | 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) | 78.1%74.7–81.1 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.3%61.2–70.9 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75%67.2–81.7 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.6%21.1–28.3 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.7%29.6–37.8 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.2%13.5–17.1 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.2%14.5–18.1 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.7–8.5 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.5–6.5 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8.4–10.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4–4.7 | 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 Bristol
Is Bristol a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bristol is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #806 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 34%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bristol?
CDC estimates 34.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.4% and 41.3%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bristol?
Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Bristol’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bristol have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.3–11.5%), 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 Bristol 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 Bristol.
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.