Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Franklin Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Lake Louise from the eastPhoto: Jakec · CC BY-SA 4.0
≈ B+Health Grade
Health in Franklin Township · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Franklin Township is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns

Franklin Township differs from Pennsylvania on 4 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 1 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 18612, 18644, 18643. How CDC estimates town health

Health Grade

What’s behind Franklin Township’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Franklin Township is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 80% of towns); the weakest is smoking, still better than 52%.

B+Self-rated health16.7% · PA 18.7% · U.S. 19.4%
B+Physical distress12.7% · PA 13.2% · U.S. 13%
A−Mental distress15.1% · PA 16.4% · U.S. 15.9%
BObesity35.3% · PA 33.8% · U.S. 32.9%
B+Diabetes10.8% · PA 11.6% · U.S. 12%
B−Smoking14.6% smoke · PA 15.8% · U.S. 11.8%
B+Exercise22.6% · PA 23.8% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 71%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $64K–$107K (10,325)Healthier than 74%

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). Franklin Township’s median household income is $85,824; among the 10,325 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$107K), it’s healthier than 74%, about where its income would put it.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Franklin Township could be anywhere from C+ to A. The letter shows with “≈”. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 18612,18644,18643), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Franklin Township adults…

Franklin Township runs below PA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.

10 of every 100 Franklin Township adults have had cancer
Pennsylvania: 9 in 100 · worse · likely 8.9–10.9%
Better than PAWorseAbout the samePennsylvania
Getting care

Care in and near Franklin Township

No hospital or community health center in Franklin Township itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERGeisinger Wyoming Valley Medical CenterWilkes Barre · 6.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyGeisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center★★★★★ · 6.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careRural Health Corporation of Northeastern PennsylvaniaFalls · 4.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.7 mi
Rural Health Corporation of Northeastern Pennsylvania
5 sites · nearest in Falls
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
≈6.9 mi
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
Wilkes Barre · ★★★★★
ER
≈9.7 mi
Wilkes-Barre General Hospital
Wilkes-Barre · ★★★★★
ER
≈9.7 mi
Wilkes Barre VA Medical Center
Wilkes-Barre · ★★★★★
ERFor veterans
9.7 mi
The Wright Center Medical Group
2 sites · nearest in Wilkes Barre
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
≈12.2 mi
Regional Hospital of Scranton
Scranton · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careFranklin Township is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Franklin Township itself
✓ Mental healthFranklin Township is not a shortage area

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 Franklin 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania

Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.

Get no exercise 22.6%PA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 36.8%PA 37.9%
Binge drink 18.5%PA 18.3%
Smoke cigarettes 14.6%PA 15.8%
0%10%20%30%40%
Franklin Township, betterFranklin Township, worseAbout the samePennsylvania
Where Franklin Township gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Franklin Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.

80%Yearly checkupPA 79%
69%Dentist visitPA 64%
87%Cholesterol checkPA 85%
70%Colon screeningPA 68%
78%MammogramPA 78%
80%Taking BP medsPA 79%
1 in 17
working-age adults has no health insurance
Franklin Township 6% · Pennsylvania 1 in 17 (5.8%)
Mind & connection

How Franklin Township adults are doing

About the same as Pennsylvania on each measure.

1 in 5Franklin Township adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.2% · PA 23% · About the same as PA
1 in 7Franklin Township adults are in frequent mental distress
15.1% · PA 16.4% · About the same as PA
The one neighbors can help with

A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Franklin Township and the towns around it

Franklin Township’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 graded towns around it.

Dallas Township: 35.2%Kingston Township: 34.7%Exeter Township: 36.4%Northmoreland Township: 35.2%Dallas: 35.6%Shavertown: 33.8%Harveys Lake: 34.3%Lehman Township: 36%Jackson Township: 35.1%Monroe Township: 35.5%Courtdale: 38.3%Luzerne: 39.9%Swoyersville: 35.4%West Wyoming: 36.7%Ransom Township: 30.5%Duryea: 39.7%Exeter: 36.3%Newton Township: 29.1%Upper Exeter: 37.3%Exeter Township: 35.7%Eaton Township: 35.2%Falls Township: 34.3%West Falls: 35.5%Franklin Township: 35.3%Franklin TownshipDallas TownshipKingston TownshipExeter TownshipNorthmoreland TownshipGeisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center · Wilkes Barre · 6.9 mi · 4★ MedicareHWilkes-Barre General Hospital · Wilkes-Barre · 9.7 mi · 2★ MedicareHWilkes Barre VA Medical Center · Wilkes-Barre · 9.7 mi · 5★ MedicareHExeter Township Medical Center · Falls · 4.7 mi+The Wright Center for Community Health Wilkes-Barre Practice · Wilkes Barre · 9.7 mi+
Healthier than PANear PALess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#11 of 24 towns on this map, healthiest first
Kingston Township34.7%
Dallas Township35.2%
Northmoreland Township35.2%
Franklin Township35.3%
Exeter Township36.4%
PA33.8%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Franklin TownshipB+35.3%10.8%14.6%ZIP codes
Dallas TownshipB+35.2%10.6%14%ZIP codes
Kingston TownshipB+34.7%10.8%14.6%ZIP codes
Exeter TownshipB−36.4%11.5%16.5%ZIP codes
Northmoreland TownshipB35.2%11.5%16.3%ZIP codes

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

30.6%

of Franklin Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs13.6%
Thinking or memory12.5%
Hearing7.9%
Errands alone7.3%
Vision4.4%
Dressing or bathing3.2%
Pennsylvania

Every CDC estimate for Franklin Township

Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Franklin Township is better than Pennsylvania on 3 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Franklin Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…Franklin TownshipPAU.S.vs PA
Overall health
Fair or poor health16.7%14.7–18.618.7%19.4%Better
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)12.7%11.2–14.213.2%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)15.1%13.5–16.716.4%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity35.3%29.1–4233.8%32.9%About the same
Diabetes10.8%9.3–12.411.6%12%About the same
High blood pressure33.4%29.6–37.132.8%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)33.2%29.2–37.233.8%37.1%About the same
Arthritis33.3%29.8–3730.4%25.3%About the same
Asthma10.4%9.1–11.710.6%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer9.9%8.9–10.98.8%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease7.7%6.9–8.57.4%6.4%About the same
COPD7.5%6.7–8.47.7%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.6%3.3–3.83.7%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)10.2%8.3–12.514.5%12.3%Better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes14.6%12.7–16.515.8%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work22.6%19.1–26.423.8%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking18.5%15.3–22.118.3%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours36.8%31–43.137.9%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)6%4.9–7.25.8%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year79.6%76–82.878.8%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year68.6%65–71.864.4%63.2%Better
Cholesterol check in 5 years87.2%85–89.185.3%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)80%76.7–82.779.2%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)69.9%65.2–74.367.5%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)77.8%70.5–8477.7%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression22.2%18.9–25.723%20.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability30.6%26.9–34.631.3%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs13.6%12.1–15.314.2%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering12.5%11.1–1414.1%13.9%Lower
Hearing difficulty7.9%7.1–8.97.6%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty4.4%4–4.85.1%5.4%Lower
Difficulty doing errands alone7.3%6.6–8.18.2%7.9%Lower
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.2%3–3.53.7%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 Franklin Township

Is Franklin Township a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Franklin Township is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 74%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Franklin Township?

CDC estimates 35.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.1% and 42%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Franklin Township?

Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes Barre, 6.9 miles in a straight line from Franklin Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.

How many people in Franklin Township have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–7.2%), 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 Franklin Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Franklin Township.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.