Photo: Shuvaev · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Palmer Township is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Palmer Township differs from Pennsylvania on 10 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 18045. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Palmer Township
What’s behind Palmer Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmer Township is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, #167 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 90% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 68%.
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). Palmer Township’s median household income is $116,014; among the 6,300 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($87K–$145K), it’s healthier than 69%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Palmer Township adults…
Palmer Township runs below PA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Palmer Township
No hospital or community health center in Palmer 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 Palmer 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.
2.4 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Palmer Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
How Palmer Township adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Palmer Township does better than 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.
Palmer Township and the towns around it
Palmer Township has the best Health Grade of the 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmer Township | A− | 31% | 10.9% | 12.2% | ZIP 18045 |
| Forks Township | A− | 32% | 11.3% | 12.9% | ZIP 18040 |
| Easton | C+ | 35.9% | 11% | 17.3% | CDC place |
| Stockertown | — | — | — | — | |
| Wilson | B− | 35.5% | 11.2% | 17.6% | CDC place |
| Tatamy | A− | 33.1% | 10% | 15.2% | CDC place |
| Lower Nazareth Township | A− | 31.2% | 10.7% | 13.1% | ZIP codes |
| Old Orchard | — | — | — | — |
Stockertown: fewer than 1,000 residents. Old Orchard: 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 Palmer Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Palmer Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Palmer Township is better than Pennsylvania on 9 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Palmer Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Palmer Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.3%13.5–17.3 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.5%10.1–13 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.3–15.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31%24.8–37.7 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.3–12.6 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.8%27.9–35.6 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35%30.6–39.3 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32%28.3–35.9 | 30.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.6–11.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.8%8.9–10.8 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.4–7.9 | 7.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.4%5.7–7.2 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.9%6.2–9.9 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.2%10.5–14 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.5%17–24.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.1%15.6–22.8 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.2%28.2–40.5 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%5.1–7 | 5.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.5%75.8–82.8 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71%67.5–74.3 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%86.9–90.6 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.4%77.1–83.3 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.9%66.1–75.3 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%73.4–86 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.4%17.2–23.9 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.7%24.9–32.7 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.4%10.8–14 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.4%10.1–12.9 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.5–8.3 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.7–7.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.6–3.1 | 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 Palmer Township
Is Palmer Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmer Township is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #167 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 69%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Palmer Township?
CDC estimates 31% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.8% and 37.7%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Palmer Township?
St. Luke's Hospital - Easton Campus in Easton, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Palmer Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Palmer Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7%), 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 Palmer 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 Palmer 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.