Photo: 颐园居 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Philadelphia as a whole is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns
Philadelphia differs from Pennsylvania on 12 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Philadelphia. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Philadelphia
Philadelphia has 16 hospitals within its borders
16 hospitals and 12 community health centers are inside Philadelphia. Hospital of University of Pennsylvania is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
1 in 9 working-age adults in Philadelphia has no health insurance
10.6% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.8% across Pennsylvania. Checkups ↓
Dental care lags in Philadelphia
56.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Pennsylvania. Among those 65 and older, 19.2% have lost all their teeth (Pennsylvania 14.5%). Checkups ↓
Health varies a lot right around Philadelphia
Grades next door run from Lower Merion Township (A+) to Colwyn (D−). Philadelphia is a C. Around town ↓
Philadelphia is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Philadelphia is healthier than 32%. Against the 9,395 towns with similar household incomes ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 48%. 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 Philadelphia’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Philadelphia’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Philadelphia is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns, #854 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 70% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 20%).
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). Philadelphia’s median household income is $61,953; among the 9,395 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($46K–$77K), it’s healthier than 48%, about where its income would put it.
Where Philadelphia compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 30.6% (U.S. 37.1%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.6% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 1,574,281 residents, Philadelphia is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Philadelphia
16 hospitals and 12 community health centers in Philadelphia.
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 Philadelphia; ≈ 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 Philadelphia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia and the towns around it
Philadelphia’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | C | 33.2% | 14% | 17.2% | CDC place |
| Bensalem Township | B | 30.6% | 11.9% | 15.8% | ZIP codes |
| Upper Darby Township | B | 33.9% | 12.3% | 16.2% | ZIP codes |
| Yeadon | C− | 41.7% | 17.2% | 17.3% | CDC place |
| Andalusia | — | — | — | — | |
| Lower Merion Township | A+ | 26.4% | 8.4% | 7.8% | ZIP codes |
| Colwyn | D− | 44.4% | 17.8% | 25.8% | CDC place |
| Tinicum Township | C− | 36.4% | 16.1% | 19.7% | ZIP codes |
Andalusia: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Philadelphia adults…
Philadelphia runs below PA on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
234 miles of trails across 332 parks and preserves
How Philadelphia adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Philadelphia 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Philadelphia adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Philadelphia
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Philadelphia is better than Pennsylvania on 4 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Philadelphia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Philadelphia | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24%21.9–26.1 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%13–16 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%17.2–20.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.2%29.4–37.1 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14%12.5–15.6 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 31.8%29.3–34.3 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.6%28–33.2 | 33.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 26.4%24.1–28.9 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.4%10.2–12.7 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5.1–6.2 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.9–7.2 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.4%6.6–8.2 | 7.7% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.9–4.5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.2%16.3–22.3 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.2%15.4–19.1 | 15.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.5%23.6–29.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.4%15.9–21 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.4%37.6–45.4 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.6%9.5–12 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.5%75.6–81.1 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.2%53.1–59.2 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.8%80.5–84.9 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%74.3–79.3 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.4%61.4–69.2 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.5%72.9–83.5 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%20.5–25.9 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.9%30.9–37 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.7%15.1–18.3 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%15.3–18.6 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 7.9%7.3–8.6 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.9–11.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.6%5.2–6 | 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 Philadelphia
Is Philadelphia a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Philadelphia is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #854 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 48%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Philadelphia?
CDC estimates 33.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.4% and 37.1%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Philadelphia?
Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Philadelphia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Philadelphia have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.5–12%), 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 Philadelphia more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Philadelphia.
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.