Photo: Nicholas A. Tonelli · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Center Township is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns
Center Township trails Pennsylvania on 10 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 17842. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Center Township
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Center Township
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.7%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. Stroke is also above the state: 4.4%, vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. In all, Center Township runs above Pennsylvania on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Center Township adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.9%), vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. Habits ↓
1 in 12 working-age adults in Center Township has no health insurance
8.4% 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 Center Township’s likely range; Center Township’s figures come from ZIP code 17842, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Center Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Center Township is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 39% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Center Township’s median household income is $70,298; among the 10,536 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 21%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Center Township adults…
Center Township runs above PA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Center Township residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Pennsylvania. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
9.3 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Center Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Care in and near Center Township
No hospital or community health center in Center 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 Center Township; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Center 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.
Center Township and the towns around it
Center Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center Township · Franklin Township | C− | 38% | 12.8% | 20.3% | ZIP 17842 |
| Limestone Township | B− | 34.4% | 11.3% | 18.5% | ZIP codes |
| Penns Creek | — | — | — | — | |
| Middlecreek Township | C | 37.7% | 12.5% | 19.8% | ZIP codes |
| Jackson Township | C+ | 35.5% | 11.7% | 18.5% | ZIP codes |
Center Township and Franklin Township share one ZIP estimate, so they share a row. Penns Creek: 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 Center Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Center Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Center Township is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Center Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Center Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.7%20.3–25.3 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.2–18 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.9–19.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38%30.4–46.1 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11–14.8 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.9%31.5–40.4 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.5%32.7–42.4 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35%31.1–39.1 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%9.9–12.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.5 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%8.2–10 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.7%9.6–12 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%4.1–4.8 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.7%12–18 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.3%17.9–23.1 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.9%25.5–34.8 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%13.9–20.8 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.6%29.9–43.8 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.4%7–10.1 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.8%73.9–81.6 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.1%56.3–64.1 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85%82.5–87.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.2%78.1–84.1 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.2%59–69.4 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.3%67.3–82.3 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.2%21.4–29.3 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.4%32.1–41 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.5%15.5–19.7 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%14.5–18.2 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.4–10.6 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.5–6.6 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.9–10.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.2–5 | 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 Center Township
Is Center Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Center Township is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 21%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Center Township?
CDC estimates 38% of adults (the figure for ZIP code 17842, which Center Township shares with Franklin Township) have obesity, likely between 30.4% and 46.1%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Center Township?
Wellspan Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg, 13.7 miles in a straight line from Center Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Center Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7–10.1%), 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 Center Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B. The figures are ZIP code 17842’s, shared with Franklin Township.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Center 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.