Photo: Geowizerd · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Loretto is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Loretto differs from Pennsylvania on 20 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Loretto. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Loretto
Mental distress runs high in Loretto
1 in 4 adults are in frequent mental distress (25.6%), vs 16.4% across Pennsylvania. Depression is above the state too: 29.5%, vs 23% across Pennsylvania. Mind & connection ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Loretto doesn’t win on
24.7% of adults binge drink, vs 18.3% across Pennsylvania, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Diabetes and cancer are less common in Loretto
Loretto runs below Pennsylvania on nine chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (3.2% vs 11.6%), cancer (2.8% vs 8.8%) and stroke (1.2% vs 3.7%). A young population is part of it: only 4% of residents are 65 or older (Pennsylvania 20%). Conditions ↓
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 Loretto’s likely range.
What’s behind Loretto’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Loretto is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Loretto’s median household income is $63,929; among the 9,719 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 99%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Loretto adults…
Loretto runs below PA on 10 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 4% of Loretto residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Pennsylvania. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
How Loretto adults are doing
On 2 of 2 measures, Loretto 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Care in and near Loretto
No hospital or community health center in Loretto 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 Loretto; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Loretto adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Loretto and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loretto | A | 25% | 3.2% | 9.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Loretto adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Loretto
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Loretto is better than Pennsylvania on 14 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Loretto’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Loretto | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12%10.4–13.7 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 8%6.9–9.1 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 25.6%23.1–28.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25%19.4–31.4 | 33.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 3.2%2.7–3.8 | 11.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 12.4%10.6–14.4 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 17.1%14.7–19.8 | 33.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 10.5%9.1–12 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.3%9.9–12.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 2.5%2.2–2.8 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1.2%1–1.3 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8%6.4–10 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.4%8–11 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.1%15.8–22.9 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 24.7%20.3–29.5 | 18.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37%30.5–44 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%3.9–10.2 | 5.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71%66.1–75.7 | 78.8% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.9%61.9–69.7 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 69.4%64.9–73.7 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 54.8%53.1–56.6 | 79.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.5%65.8–75 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.5%71.2–84.6 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.5%25.3–34 | 23% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.1%25.1–33.5 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 4.8%4.2–5.5 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.9%18.5–23.4 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.7%3.2–4.1 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7.2–9.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.4%1.3–1.6 | 3.7% | 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 Loretto
Is Loretto a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Loretto is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Loretto?
CDC estimates 25% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.4% and 31.4%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Loretto?
UPMC Altoona in Altoona, 12.5 miles in a straight line from Loretto’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Loretto have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.9–10.2%), 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 Loretto more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Loretto.
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.