Photo: Joseph E. B. Elliot · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Columbia is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns
Columbia trails Pennsylvania on 13 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Columbia. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Columbia
1 in 8 working-age adults in Columbia has no health insurance
12.1% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.8% across Pennsylvania. Checkups ↓
Dental care lags in Columbia
55.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Pennsylvania. Among those 65 and older, 23% have lost all their teeth (Pennsylvania 14.5%). Checkups ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Columbia
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.7%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.7%), vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.1%, vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. In all, Columbia runs above Pennsylvania on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
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 Columbia’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Columbia’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Columbia is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns, #990 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 28% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Columbia’s median household income is $54,437; among the 7,244 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 21%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Columbia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Out of every 100 Columbia adults…
Columbia runs above PA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Columbia
1 community health center in Columbia, 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 Columbia; ≈ 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.
1.4 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How Columbia adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Columbia 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.
Columbia and the towns around it
Columbia’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | D | 40.3% | 13.6% | 21.6% | CDC place |
| West Hempfield Township | B | 36.3% | 11.3% | 16.4% | ZIP codes |
| Manor Township | B | 35.6% | 10.5% | 15.2% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Columbia adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Columbia
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Columbia is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Columbia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Columbia | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.9%23.2–28.6 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.1–19.1 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.2%17.2–21.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.3%32.9–47.9 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.6%11.7–15.6 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 35.2%31–39.2 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.9%32.4–41 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.3%31.4–39.2 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.2–13.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.8%7.9–9.7 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.1%8.2–10.1 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23%19–27.2 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.6%19–24.4 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.6%25.9–35.4 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.4–19.9 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.5%34.8–48.4 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.1%10.3–14 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.8%73.9–81.4 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.3%51.2–59.2 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.9%80.1–85.4 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.8%76.5–82.6 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63%57.5–68 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71%62.1–78.8 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%21.5–29.3 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.8%35.2–44.4 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.2%17.1–21.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.7%16.7–20.7 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.5%8.5–10.7 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.5%6.9–8.2 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.4%10.3–12.5 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%5–5.9 | 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 Columbia
Is Columbia a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Columbia is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns: D for health, #990 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. 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 Columbia?
CDC estimates 40.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.9% and 47.9%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Columbia?
Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center in Lancaster, 6.8 miles in a straight line from Columbia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Columbia have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.3–14%), 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 Columbia 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 Columbia.
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.