Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0Where Polk residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Polk, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Polk. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Polk
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Polk
1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.6%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.5%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. Stroke is also above the state: 5.1%, vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. In all, Polk runs above Pennsylvania on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Pennsylvania 20%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Polk adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (30.6%), vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Polk
59.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Pennsylvania. Among those 65 and older, 18.6% have lost all their teeth (Pennsylvania 14.5%). Checkups ↓
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 Polk’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Polk adults…
Polk runs above PA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Polk is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Pennsylvania. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Polk as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
1.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Polk adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Care in and near Polk
No hospital or community health center in Polk 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; ≈ 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).
How Polk 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 and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frenchcreek Township | C | 35.8% | 13.4% | 18.9% | ZIP codes |
| Victory Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Sandycreek Township | C | 35.6% | 13.2% | 18.4% | ZIP codes |
Victory Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Polk adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Polk
Why doesn’t Polk have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Polk.
What hospital is closest to Polk?
UPMC Northwest in Seneca, 11.8 miles in a straight line from Polk’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
Where can I get low-cost care near Polk?
1 community health center sites are within 10 miles; the nearest is Sandy Lake Community Health Center in Sandy Lake, 7.8 miles away. They charge on a sliding scale by income.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Polk.
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. 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.