Photo: Bravo27835 · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Lehigh Township is healthier than 76%
Lehigh Township differs from Pennsylvania on 11 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 18424, 18445. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lehigh Township
COPD, heart disease and arthritis run high in Lehigh Township
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.3%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.9%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. Arthritis is also above the state: 36.4%, vs 30.4% across Pennsylvania. In all, Lehigh Township runs above Pennsylvania on four 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 ↓
Lehigh Township is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Lehigh Township is healthier than 45%. Against the 7,594 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$69K), it’s healthier than 76%. 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 Lehigh Township’s likely range; Lehigh Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 18424, 18445, 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 Lehigh Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lehigh Township is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 66% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 19%).
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). Lehigh Township’s median household income is $55,536; among the 7,594 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$69K), it’s healthier than 76%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Lehigh Township compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Lehigh Township adults…
Lehigh Township runs below PA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Lehigh 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 Lehigh Township as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Lehigh Township
No hospital or community health center in Lehigh 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 Lehigh 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.
5.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Lehigh Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
How Lehigh 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.
Lehigh Township and the towns around it
Lehigh Township’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Township | C+ | 34.9% | 13% | 18.2% | ZIP codes |
| Clifton Township | B− | 34.9% | 12.9% | 18.2% | ZIP 18424 |
| Gouldsboro | — | — | — | — | |
| Big Bass Lake | — | — | — | — | |
| Coolbaugh Township | C | 39.2% | 14.1% | 17.7% | ZIP codes |
| Dreher Township | C− | 36.4% | 15.1% | 19.1% | ZIP codes |
| Sterling Township | C+ | 34.7% | 13.3% | 17.9% | ZIP codes |
| Pocono Springs | — | — | — | — |
Gouldsboro and Pocono Springs: fewer than 1,000 residents. Big Bass Lake: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lehigh Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lehigh Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lehigh Township is better than Pennsylvania on 3 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Lehigh Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lehigh Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.2%18.5–22 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13.6–16.3 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.8–17.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.9%29.9–40.4 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11.5–14.4 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%32.4–38.5 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%33.3–39.9 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 36.4%33.4–39.5 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.7–11.8 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.5–11 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.9%8.1–9.6 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.3%8.4–10.2 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.9–4.4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.2%9.6–13.2 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.2%16.5–20 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.3%22.4–28.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.5%15.2–20.1 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40%35.1–45 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%6–8 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.9%77.3–82.4 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.2%61.4–67 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.1%86.5–89.7 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82%79.6–84.2 | 79.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.5%64.8–72.1 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.2%70.6–81.4 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%20.8–26.2 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.4%30.4–36.7 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.1%14.7–17.6 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%12.9–15.4 | 14.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%8.1–9.8 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.9–5.7 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.7–9.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.8–4.4 | 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 Lehigh Township
Is Lehigh Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lehigh Township is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns: C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lehigh Township?
CDC estimates 34.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.9% and 40.4%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lehigh Township?
Geisinger-Community Medical Center in Scranton, 16.5 miles in a straight line from Lehigh Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lehigh Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6–8%), 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 Lehigh 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 Lehigh 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.