Photo: Jakec · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Rice Township is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Rice Township differs from Pennsylvania on 10 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 18707. How CDC estimates town health
What’s behind Rice Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rice Township is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #200 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 86% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 64%.
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). Rice Township’s median household income is $110,511; among the 7,058 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($83K–$138K), it’s healthier than 67%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Rice Township adults…
Rice 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 Rice Township
No hospital or community health center in Rice 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 Rice Township; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
8.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Rice Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
How Rice Township adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Rice 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.
Rice Township and the towns around it
Rice Township has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice Township · Wright Township · Fairview Township | A− | 34.3% | 10.3% | 13.2% | ZIP 18707 |
| Mountain Top | — | — | — | — | |
| Nuangola | — | — | — | — | |
| Dorrance Township | B+ | 36% | 11% | 15.5% | ZIP codes |
Rice Township, Wright Township and Fairview Township share one ZIP estimate, so they share a row. Mountain Top: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Nuangola: 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 Rice Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rice Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rice Township is better than Pennsylvania on 9 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Rice Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rice Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.7%12.9–16.5 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.5–13.5 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.9–16 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.3%28.2–41.1 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.3%8.9–11.9 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.7%27.8–35.4 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.6%29.4–37.7 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.4%29.7–37.2 | 30.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.7 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9–11 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.3–7.8 | 7.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.9%5.5–8.6 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%11.4–15.1 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.7%17.4–24.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.5%15.2–22.2 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.1%30.3–42.5 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.8%4–5.7 | 5.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.2%76.7–83.4 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.4%69.1–75.5 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.7%86.8–90.4 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.6%76–82.6 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70%65.4–74.3 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.4%73.6–86 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.4%19.1–26 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.9%24.3–31.6 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.3%10.8–13.9 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.2%9.9–12.6 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.3–8 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.8–7.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3 | 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 Rice Township
Is Rice Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rice Township is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #200 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 67%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rice Township?
CDC estimates 34.3% of adults (the figure for ZIP code 18707, which Rice Township shares with Wright Township and Fairview Township) have obesity, likely between 28.2% and 41.1%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rice Township?
Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in Wilkes-barre, 6.5 miles in a straight line from Rice Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Rice Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4–5.7%), 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 Rice Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A. The figures are ZIP code 18707’s, shared with Wright Township and Fairview Township.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Rice 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.