Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Brownsville is healthier than 70%
Brownsville trails Pennsylvania on 16 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Brownsville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brownsville
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Brownsville
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.7%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 19 adults have had a stroke (5.2%), vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.6%, vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. In all, Brownsville runs above Pennsylvania on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Brownsville
53.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Pennsylvania. Among those 65 and older, 22% have lost all their teeth (Pennsylvania 14.5%). Checkups ↓
Brownsville is in the bottom 10% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Brownsville is healthier than only 10% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on self-rated health, physical distress, mental distress and smoking. Health Grade ↓
More Brownsville adults live with a disability
2 in 5 adults live with a disability (40.7%, vs 31.3% across Pennsylvania). The biggest difference is vision loss: 7.9% vs 5.1%. Disability ↓
Brownsville is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Brownsville is healthier than 10%. Against the 760 towns with similar household incomes ($24K–$40K), it’s healthier than 70%. 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 Brownsville’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Brownsville’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brownsville is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 34% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Brownsville’s median household income is $31,810; among the 760 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($24K–$40K), it’s healthier than 70%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Brownsville adults…
Brownsville runs above PA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Brownsville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Brownsville adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Care in and near Brownsville
No hospital or community health center in Brownsville 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 Brownsville; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Brownsville adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Brownsville 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.
Brownsville and the towns around it
Brownsville’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville | D | 38.2% | 14.7% | 23.2% | CDC place |
| Brownsville Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Luzerne Township | C− | 36% | 14.5% | 22% | ZIP codes |
| Hiller | — | — | — | — | |
| Centerville | B− | 38% | 11.9% | 16.3% | CDC place |
| West Brownsville | — | — | — | — |
Brownsville Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Hiller: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. West Brownsville: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Every CDC estimate for Brownsville
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brownsville is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Brownsville’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brownsville | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.8%24.1–29.6 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.9–20 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.3%18.3–22.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.2%31–45.6 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.7%12.7–16.8 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41%36.8–45.2 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36%31.6–40.6 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 37.4%33.4–41.4 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.5%10.9–14.1 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.2–10 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.6%8.6–10.6 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.7%10.5–13 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22%18.1–26.5 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 23.2%20.5–26.1 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.6%26–35.4 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.2%12.2–18.4 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.2%34.5–47.9 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.1%8–12.7 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 81%77.4–84.2 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.3%49.4–57.3 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.9%78–83.6 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.5%78.6–84.1 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.1%58.6–69.3 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75%67.2–81.9 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.5%22.6–30.6 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.7%35.9–45.3 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.1%17.9–22.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.2%17.2–21.3 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.9%8.7–11 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.9%7.2–8.7 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.2%11.1–13.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.3%5.8–6.8 | 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 Brownsville
Is Brownsville a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brownsville is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brownsville?
CDC estimates 38.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 31% and 45.6%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brownsville?
Uniontown Hospital in Uniontown, 11.2 miles in a straight line from Brownsville’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Brownsville have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8–12.7%), 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 Brownsville more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Brownsville.
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.