Photo: KATMAAN · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Derry Township is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Derry Township trails Pennsylvania on 14 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 17044, 17099. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Derry Township
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Derry Township
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.3%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (9.7%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. Stroke is also above the state: 4.8%, vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. In all, Derry Township runs above Pennsylvania on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 33% of residents are 65 or older (Pennsylvania 20%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Derry Township adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (30.3%), vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Derry Township
57.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Pennsylvania. Among those 65 and older, 19% have lost all their teeth (Pennsylvania 14.5%). 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 Derry Township’s likely range; Derry Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 17044, 17099, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Derry Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Derry Township is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns, #965 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 32% 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). Derry Township’s median household income is $69,070; among the 10,462 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($52K–$86K), it’s healthier than 12%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Derry Township adults…
Derry Township runs above PA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Derry Township is an older town: 33% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Pennsylvania. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Derry Township as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
1.3 miles of trails across 5 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.
Care in and near Derry Township
1 community health center 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 (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
How Derry Township adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Derry Township 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.
Derry Township and the towns around it
Derry Township’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 | C− | 38.5% | 13.5% | 21.6% | ZIP codes |
| Lewistown | D− | 41.6% | 14.3% | 25.5% | CDC place |
| Granville Township | D | 38.5% | 13.7% | 21.6% | ZIP codes |
| Brown Township | D | 38.1% | 14.4% | 22.5% | ZIP codes |
| Fermanagh Township | C | 36.7% | 12.7% | 19.9% | ZIP 17059 |
| Decatur Township | C− | 38.9% | 13.9% | 21.1% | ZIP codes |
| Armagh Township | D | 38.5% | 13.5% | 22.7% | ZIP codes |
| Milford Township | C | 36.5% | 12.3% | 19.8% | ZIP codes |
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%). Walking or climbing stairs 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 0 and worse on 14; 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 | 24.7%22.2–27.4 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.2–19.1 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.7–20.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.5%30.9–46.6 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.5%11.7–15.5 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.3%32.6–41.3 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.7%31.7–41.1 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 37.1%33.1–41.2 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.2–13.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.9%8.9–11 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.7%8.8–10.7 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.3%10.2–12.6 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.5–5.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19%15.6–22.6 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.6%19.1–24.4 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.3%25.9–35.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%13.5–20.1 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40%33.1–47.2 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.3%7.9–10.7 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%75.7–82.8 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.2%53.3–61.1 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%81.4–86.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.3%78–83.9 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.6%59.2–69.7 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.8%65.4–81.1 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%21.5–29.4 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.8%34.3–43.5 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.2%17.1–21.5 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.5%15.8–19.5 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.3%9.2–11.5 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6.3–7.5 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%10–12.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.9–5.8 | 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 Derry Township
Is Derry Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Derry Township is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #965 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 12%. 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 38.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.9% and 46.6%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Derry Township?
Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital in Lewistown, 4.9 miles in a straight line from Derry Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Derry Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.9–10.7%), 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 Derry Township 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 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.