Photo: Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Lower Heidelberg Township is healthier than 47%
Lower Heidelberg Township beats Pennsylvania on 4 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 19608, 19565. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lower Heidelberg Township
What’s behind Lower Heidelberg Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lower Heidelberg Township is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #237 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 84% of towns); the weakest is smoking, still better than 57%.
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). Lower Heidelberg Township’s median household income is $123,476; among the 5,242 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($93K–$154K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Lower Heidelberg Township adults…
Lower Heidelberg Township runs below PA on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Lower Heidelberg Township
No hospital or community health center in Lower Heidelberg 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 Lower Heidelberg 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.
46 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Lower Heidelberg Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
How Lower Heidelberg 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.
Lower Heidelberg Township and the towns around it
Lower Heidelberg Township’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Heidelberg Township | A− | 32.8% | 10.7% | 14.1% | ZIP codes |
| Heidelberg Township | B | 33.9% | 11.3% | 16.6% | ZIP codes |
| Spring Township | A− | 32.7% | 10.4% | 13.9% | ZIP codes |
| North Heidelberg Township | B | 33.9% | 11.3% | 16.7% | ZIP codes |
| Bern Township | B+ | 33.6% | 11.1% | 15.9% | ZIP codes |
| Wernersville | B+ | 31.8% | 11.3% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Sinking Spring | B− | 36.1% | 11.1% | 18.1% | CDC place |
| South Heidelberg Township | B+ | 33.2% | 10.8% | 14.9% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lower Heidelberg Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lower Heidelberg Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lower Heidelberg Township is better than Pennsylvania on 4 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Lower Heidelberg Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lower Heidelberg Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16%14.1–18 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.6–13.6 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%13.1–16.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.8%26.1–40 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.7%9.2–12.5 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.4%29.3–37.6 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.9%29.5–38.3 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.9%27.2–34.9 | 30.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.2%8.9–11.6 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.7%8.8–10.8 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.6–8.2 | 7.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7%6.2–7.8 | 7.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.8%8.6–13.2 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.1%12.3–16.1 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.4%17.9–25.4 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%15.1–22.2 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.9%32.4–45.8 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.5%5.5–7.7 | 5.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.4%76.8–83.7 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.3%65.7–72.5 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.9%85.8–89.9 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.2%76.8–83.2 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%63.3–73 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.4%72.3–85.6 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.9%18.5–25.6 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.2%24.6–32.3 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.8%11.1–14.5 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%10.9–13.7 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.7–8.4 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.9–4.8 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.3–7.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 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 Lower Heidelberg Township
Is Lower Heidelberg Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lower Heidelberg Township is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #237 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 Lower Heidelberg Township?
CDC estimates 32.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.1% and 40%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lower Heidelberg Township?
Penn State Health St. Joseph in Reading, 4.4 miles in a straight line from Lower Heidelberg Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lower Heidelberg Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.5–7.7%), 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 Lower Heidelberg Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lower Heidelberg 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.