Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Polk Township is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns
Polk Township trails Pennsylvania on 2 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 18058, 18331, 18330, 18333. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Polk Township
What’s behind Polk Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Polk Township is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns, #678 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 56% of U.S. towns); smoking 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). Polk Township’s median household income is $80,625; among the 10,711 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$101K), it’s healthier than 43%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Polk Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Out of every 100 Polk Township adults…
On every condition, Polk Township is about the same as Pennsylvania. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Polk Township
No hospital or community health center in Polk 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 Polk 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.
25 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Polk 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.
Polk Township and the towns around it
Polk Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk Township | B− | 36.9% | 11.7% | 18.1% | ZIP codes |
| Chestnuthill Township | B | 36.2% | 11.5% | 16.1% | ZIP codes |
| Penn Forest Township | B− | 35% | 12.7% | 17.4% | ZIP codes |
| Eldred Township | B− | 36.7% | 11.7% | 17.7% | ZIP codes |
| Indian Mountain Lake | — | — | — | — | |
| Tunkhannock Township | C− | 40.4% | 14.2% | 18.9% | ZIP codes |
Indian Mountain Lake: 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 Polk Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Polk Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Polk Township is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Polk Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Polk Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.6%17.6–21.7 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.7–15.8 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%15.3–18.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.9%30.3–44 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.7%10.2–13.4 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34%30.3–37.9 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.6%32.4–40.6 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.9%29.4–36.6 | 30.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.3 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.4 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 7.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.5%7.7–9.4 | 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+) | 12.4%10.1–15 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.1%16.1–20.3 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25%21.4–29.1 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.6%15.5–22.2 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.4%34.2–46.9 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.1%6.8–9.6 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%75.5–82.1 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.3%59.8–66.8 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.7%83.4–87.7 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76–82.1 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.9%62.3–71.3 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.5%68.3–81.8 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.8%20.5–27.4 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.9%28.3–36 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.7%13.1–16.5 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%13.3–16.4 | 14.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.3–9 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.8–5.7 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.7–9.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 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 Polk Township
Is Polk Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Polk Township is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #678 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 43%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Polk Township?
CDC estimates 36.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.3% and 44%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Polk Township?
St. Luke's Hospital - Carbon Campus in Lehighton, 12.2 miles in a straight line from Polk Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Polk Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–9.6%), 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 Polk Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Polk 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.