Photo: Pubdog · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Ridgway is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns
Ridgway trails Pennsylvania on 11 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ridgway. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ridgway
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Ridgway
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.5%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.1%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. Stroke is also above the state: 4.5%, vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. In all, Ridgway runs above Pennsylvania on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Ridgway
58.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Pennsylvania. Among those 65 and older, 18.9% have lost all their teeth (Pennsylvania 14.5%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Ridgway
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (20.8%), vs 15.8% across Pennsylvania. Habits ↓
Ridgway is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Ridgway is healthier than 19%. Against the 6,740 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$66K), it’s healthier than 41%. 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 Ridgway’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Ridgway’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ridgway is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns, #944 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 37% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Ridgway’s median household income is $52,863; among the 6,740 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$66K), it’s healthier than 41%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Ridgway adults…
Ridgway runs above PA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ridgway adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
1.6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Ridgway
1 community health center in Ridgway, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Ridgway; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Ridgway adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Ridgway 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.
Ridgway and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgway | C− | 40.8% | 12.9% | 20.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ridgway adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ridgway
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ridgway is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Ridgway’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ridgway | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.3%19.9–25 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.2–18 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.6–20.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.8%32.7–49.3 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11.1–14.8 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.6%31.4–40.1 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.4%31.8–41.1 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 36.7%32.7–41 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.4%10–12.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.6–10.6 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.1%8.2–10.1 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.5%9.4–11.7 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4.1–4.9 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.9%15.2–23.1 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.8%18.2–23.6 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.5%24–33.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%14.1–21.1 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.4%32.3–47 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%5.3–9.5 | 5.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%75.2–82.6 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.9%54.9–62.9 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%81.4–86.4 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.9%77.9–83.8 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%62.1–71.9 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.5%67.2–82.6 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%21.5–29.5 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.6%31.2–40.4 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.5%15.5–19.7 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.5%14.7–18.4 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.6%8.5–10.7 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.4–6.6 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10%9–11.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 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 Ridgway
Is Ridgway a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ridgway is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #944 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 41%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ridgway?
CDC estimates 40.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.7% and 49.3%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ridgway?
Penn Highlands Elk in Saint Marys, 7.8 miles in a straight line from Ridgway’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ridgway have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–9.5%), 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 Ridgway 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 Ridgway.
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.