Photo: Paulo Ordoveza from Washington, DC · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Derry Township is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns
Derry Township beats Pennsylvania on 11 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 17033, 17036, 17078. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Derry Township
Derry Township has a top-rated hospital
Milton S Hershey Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Derry Township
Derry Township runs below Pennsylvania on COPD (5.9% vs 7.7%), stroke (3% vs 3.7%) and diabetes (9.7% vs 11.6%). Conditions ↓
Derry Township is an active town
Only 19.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. The town has 29 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
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 Derry Township’s likely range; Derry Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 17033, 17036, 17078, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Derry Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Derry Township is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns, #121 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 91% of towns); the weakest is smoking, still better than 76%.
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). Derry Township’s median household income is $97,025; among the 9,022 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($73K–$121K), it’s healthier than 92%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Derry Township
1 hospital in Derry Township, 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 Derry Township; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Derry Township adults…
Derry Township runs below PA on 5 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.
29 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Derry Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
How Derry Township adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Derry Township does better than 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.
Derry Township and the towns around it
Derry Township’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derry Township | A | 29.4% | 9.7% | 11.9% | ZIP codes |
| East Hanover Township | A− | 31% | 10.6% | 14.1% | ZIP codes |
| Hershey | — | — | — | — | |
| South Hanover Township | A | 28.8% | 9.3% | 11.3% | ZIP codes |
| Lower Swatara Township | B | 32.3% | 10.9% | 15.7% | ZIP codes |
| Swatara Township | B | 33.5% | 12.2% | 16.2% | ZIP codes |
| Hummelstown | A− | 31.1% | 9% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Union Deposit | — | — | — | — |
Hershey: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Union Deposit: 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 Derry Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Derry Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Derry Township is better than Pennsylvania on 11 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Derry Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Derry Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.6%12.9–16.4 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%13–16.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.4%23.4–35.7 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.3–11.1 | 11.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.4%26.8–34.3 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.7%29.3–38.1 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.4%24.9–31.8 | 30.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.4 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.9%8–9.8 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.7–7 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.9%5.3–6.6 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.1%8.1–12.4 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%10.4–13.6 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.7%16.4–23.2 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%14.9–21.8 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.7%30.5–42.8 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.1%5.2–7.3 | 5.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.3%75.6–82.6 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.2%66.8–73.3 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87%84.7–89.1 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.6%76.3–82.5 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.1%65.2–74.4 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.9%72.8–85.7 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%19.2–26.3 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.6%23.1–30.3 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.2%9.9–12.7 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.8%10.4–13.2 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6–7.6 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.8–7.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.5–2.9 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Derry Township
Is Derry Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Derry Township is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns: A for health, #121 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 92%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Derry Township?
CDC estimates 29.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.4% and 35.7%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Derry Township?
Milton S Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Derry Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Derry Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–7.3%), 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 Derry Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Derry 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.