Photo: Generic1139 · CC BY 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Forward Township is healthier than 68%
Forward Township differs from Pennsylvania on 8 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 15063, 15037, 15020. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Forward Township
COPD, heart disease and arthritis run high in Forward Township
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.5%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.1%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. Arthritis is also above the state: 37.1%, vs 30.4% across Pennsylvania. In all, Forward Township runs above Pennsylvania on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Pennsylvania 20%), and COPD, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Forward Township, and more people treating it
36.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Pennsylvania 32.8%), but 82.3% of them take medicine for it, vs 79.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
Health varies a lot right around Forward Township
Grades next door run from Jefferson Hills (A) to Elizabeth (D). Forward Township is a B−. Around town ↓
Forward Township is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Forward Township is healthier than 51%. Against the 10,232 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 68%. 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 Forward Township’s likely range; Forward Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 15063, 15037, 15020, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Forward Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forward Township is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, #608 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 76% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). Forward Township’s median household income is $67,171; among the 10,232 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 68%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Forward Township adults…
Forward Township runs above PA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Forward Township is an older town: 27% 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 Forward Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Forward Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Forward Township and the towns around it
Forward Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward Township | B− | 35.1% | 12.5% | 16.6% | ZIP codes |
| Elizabeth Township | B | 31.9% | 12.2% | 16.3% | ZIP codes |
| Elizabeth | D | 37.3% | 14.2% | 23.2% | CDC place |
| Union Township | B | 36.6% | 11.8% | 15.9% | ZIP codes |
| Monongahela | C+ | 39.9% | 11.6% | 17% | CDC place |
| Bunola | — | — | — | — | |
| Carroll Township | B− | 37.9% | 12.4% | 16.5% | ZIP codes |
| Jefferson Hills | A | 28.9% | 9.9% | 12.4% | CDC place |
Bunola: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Forward Township
No hospital or community health center in Forward 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 Forward Township; ≈ 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.
0.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Forward 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Forward Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Forward Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Forward Township is better than Pennsylvania on 2 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Forward Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Forward Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.8%17.9–21.9 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%13.1–16.3 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.9–16.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.1%30–40.7 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.9–14.2 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.3%33.2–39.7 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36%32.5–39.5 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 37.1%33.9–40.5 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–12 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.7–11.6 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.1%8.3–9.9 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.5%8.5–10.5 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%4–4.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14%11.5–16.8 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.6%14.7–18.6 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.5%22.2–29.1 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15.5–21.1 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.3%30.7–40.4 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.5%5.4–7.8 | 5.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.1%77.2–83 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.5%62.3–68.6 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.4%85.5–89.1 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.3%79.6–84.7 | 79.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.2%63.8–72.3 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.1%71.9–83.6 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%20.2–26.4 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.7%30.3–37.2 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.7%15–18.6 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%12.3–15.2 | 14.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.4–10.3 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.8–5.7 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.7–9.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.7–4.3 | 3.7% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Forward Township
Is Forward Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forward Township is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #608 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Forward Township?
CDC estimates 35.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 40.7%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Forward Township?
Penn Highlands Mon Valley in Monongahela, 3.5 miles in a straight line from Forward Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Forward Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.4–7.8%), 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 Forward Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Forward 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.