On CDC estimates, Forest City is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns
Forest City trails Pennsylvania on 12 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Forest City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Forest City
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Forest City
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.2%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.5%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. Stroke is also above the state: 4.7%, vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. In all, Forest City runs above Pennsylvania on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Forest City adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.1%), vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. Habits ↓
1 in 12 working-age adults in Forest City has no health insurance
8.1% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.8% across Pennsylvania. Checkups ↓
Forest City is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Forest City is healthier than 23%. Against the 8,144 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 40%. Health Grade ↓
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 Forest City’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Forest City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forest City is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 47% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Forest City’s median household income is $57,404; among the 8,144 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 40%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Forest City adults…
Forest City runs above 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.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Forest City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Care in and near Forest City
1 community health center in Forest City, 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 Forest City; ≈ 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 Forest City adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Forest City 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.
Forest City and the towns around it
Forest City’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest City | C− | 36.5% | 12.9% | 20.2% | CDC place |
| Clinton Township | B− | 36.2% | 11.7% | 18.8% | ZIP codes |
| Vandling | — | — | — | — | |
| Clifford Township | B− | 35.1% | 12.5% | 17.2% | ZIP codes |
Vandling: 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 Forest City adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Forest City
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Forest City is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Forest City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Forest City | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.8%20.3–25.4 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.3–18.1 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.5–20.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.5%28.9–44.8 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11.1–14.9 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.7%32.1–41.1 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%31.5–41.2 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 37.8%33.6–41.8 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%9.9–12.8 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.5%9.4–11.7 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.5%8.5–10.5 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.2%9.1–11.4 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.1%12.2–18.5 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.2%17.7–22.8 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.1%24.4–33.9 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.1%13–19.6 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.9%33.8–48.4 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.1%6.4–10.2 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.1%75.3–82.4 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.8%54.8–62.6 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%83.7–88.4 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.2%79.1–84.9 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.4%57.8–68.7 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.2%65.7–81.6 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.9%21.1–28.9 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.1%33.4–42.7 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.5%16.3–20.7 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.1%15.2–19 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.3%9.1–11.5 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.8–6.9 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.7%9.7–11.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.3–5.2 | 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 Forest City
Is Forest City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forest City is healthier than 23% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 40%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Forest City?
CDC estimates 36.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.9% and 44.8%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Forest City?
Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale, 12.0 miles in a straight line from Forest City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Forest City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–10.2%), 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 Forest City more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Forest City.
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.