Photo: Jakec · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Monroe Township is healthier than 86%
Monroe Township trails Pennsylvania on 2 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 18657, 18618, 18636, 18612. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Monroe Township
Monroe Township is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Monroe Township is healthier than 60%. Against the 8,735 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 86%. Health Grade ↓
Monroe Township has a community health center but no hospital
Rural Health Corporation of Northeastern Pennsylvania is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes Barre, 11.3 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Monroe Township’s likely range; Monroe Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 18657, 18618, 18636, 18612, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Monroe Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Monroe Township is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 68% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 34%).
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). Monroe Township’s median household income is $59,286; among the 8,735 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 86%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Monroe Township
1 community health center in Monroe Township, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Monroe Township; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Monroe Township adults…
Monroe Township runs above PA on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Monroe Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
How Monroe 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.
Monroe Township and the towns around it
Monroe Township’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe Township | B | 35.5% | 11.4% | 16.4% | ZIP codes |
| Eaton Township | B− | 35.2% | 11.9% | 17.5% | ZIP 18657 |
| Northmoreland Township | B | 35.2% | 11.5% | 16.3% | ZIP codes |
| Dallas Township | B+ | 35.2% | 10.6% | 14% | ZIP codes |
| Noxen Township | — | — | — | — |
Noxen Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Monroe Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Monroe Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Monroe Township is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Monroe Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Monroe Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.2%16.3–20.1 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%12.1–15.1 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.4–17.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%28.8–42.3 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.4%9.9–13 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.9%31.1–38.9 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.6%31.5–40 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 34.9%31.3–38.5 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–12 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9.1–11 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.4–9 | 7.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.5%7.6–9.4 | 7.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.9%10.5–15.5 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.4%14.4–18.4 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.3%19.8–27.1 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%15.2–21.7 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37%30.9–43.3 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.3%5.2–7.7 | 5.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.2%75.7–82.3 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66%62.6–69.3 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.2%84–88.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.6%77.7–83.4 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%63.7–72.7 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78%71.2–83.7 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.7%20.3–27.2 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.6%27.8–35.4 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.5%12.8–16.2 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%12.2–15.1 | 14.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.5–9.3 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.2 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%7.2–8.7 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 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 Monroe Township
Is Monroe Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Monroe Township is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B 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 Monroe Township?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.8% and 42.3%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Monroe Township?
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes Barre, 11.3 miles in a straight line from Monroe Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Monroe Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–7.7%), 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 Monroe 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 Monroe 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.