Photo: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Carlisle is healthier than 72%
Carlisle differs from Pennsylvania on 4 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Carlisle. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Carlisle
Carlisle is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Carlisle is healthier than 48%. Against the 9,341 towns with similar household incomes ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 72%. Health Grade ↓
1 in 13 working-age adults in Carlisle has no health insurance
7.7% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.8% across Pennsylvania. Checkups ↓
Carlisle has a community health center but no hospital
Sadler Health Center is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is UPMC Carlisle, 1.5 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Carlisle’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Carlisle’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Carlisle is healthier than 48% of U.S. towns, #644 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 70% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Carlisle’s median household income is $61,720; among the 9,341 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 72%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Keeping up with care
Share of Carlisle adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Care in and near Carlisle
1 community health center in Carlisle, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Carlisle; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Carlisle adults…
Carlisle runs below PA on 1 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.
8 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
How Carlisle adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Carlisle 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.
Carlisle and the towns around it
Carlisle’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlisle | B− | 35.5% | 10.8% | 16.7% | CDC place |
| North Middleton Township | B | 35.3% | 11.1% | 16.2% | ZIP codes |
| South Middleton Township | B+ | 34.8% | 11.2% | 15.1% | ZIP codes |
| West Pennsboro Township | B− | 35.6% | 12.2% | 17.5% | ZIP codes |
| Carlisle Barracks | — | — | — | — |
Carlisle Barracks: 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 Carlisle adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Carlisle
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Carlisle is better than Pennsylvania on 1 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Carlisle’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Carlisle | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%17.9–22.2 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12.1–15.2 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%17–20.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%28.8–42.5 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.3–12.3 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.2%25.5–32.8 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31%27.2–34.9 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.5%26.2–32.9 | 30.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.4%10–12.8 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.2%7.4–9 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.5–7.9 | 7.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.9%7–8.7 | 7.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.3–3.8 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.4–13.9 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.7%14.7–18.9 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.9%21.1–29.1 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%15–22 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.5%32.2–44.9 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.7%6.4–9.1 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.1%74.3–81.5 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.9%57.3–64.4 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.8%80.1–85.2 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.9%74.7–80.5 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.5%62.6–72.1 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77%69.7–83.2 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.2%21.6–29.1 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.9%30.8–39.2 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%12.5–15.8 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.1%15.3–18.9 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.8–8.6 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%5.1–6.2 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%8.5–10.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.6–4.2 | 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 Carlisle
Is Carlisle a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Carlisle is healthier than 48% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #644 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 Carlisle?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.8% and 42.5%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Carlisle?
UPMC Carlisle in Carlisle, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Carlisle’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Carlisle have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–9.1%), 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 Carlisle 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 Carlisle.
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.