Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Shamokin is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns
Shamokin trails Pennsylvania on 20 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Shamokin. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shamokin
Dental care lags in Shamokin
47.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Pennsylvania. Among those 65 and older, 28.6% have lost all their teeth (Pennsylvania 14.5%). Checkups ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Shamokin
1 in 7 adults have COPD (13.4%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 18 adults have had a stroke (5.6%), vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. Heart disease is also above the state: 10.3%, vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. In all, Shamokin runs above Pennsylvania on nine of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Shamokin adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (35.8%), vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. Habits ↓
Shamokin is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Shamokin is healthier than 3%. Against the 2,296 towns with similar household incomes ($30K–$50K), it’s healthier than 18%. 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 Shamokin’s likely range.
What’s behind Shamokin’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shamokin is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns, #1,028 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 16% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Shamokin’s median household income is $39,690; among the 2,296 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($30K–$50K), it’s healthier than 18%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Shamokin adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Out of every 100 Shamokin adults…
Shamokin runs above PA on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
0.8 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Shamokin
1 community health center in Shamokin, 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 Shamokin; ≈ 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 Shamokin adults are doing
On 2 of 2 measures, Shamokin 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.
Shamokin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shamokin | D− | 42% | 14.9% | 26.5% | CDC place |
| Fairview-Ferndale | — | — | — | — | |
| Marshallton | — | — | — | — |
Fairview-Ferndale and Marshallton: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Shamokin adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shamokin
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shamokin is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 20; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Shamokin’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shamokin | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 31.2%28.4–34.1 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.5%18.4–22.7 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.8%19.8–23.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42%34.9–49.6 | 33.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.9%13–16.9 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.8%36.4–45.2 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37%32.6–41.5 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 37.8%34.1–41.7 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.6%11.2–14.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.9–9.6 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.3%9.3–11.3 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 13.4%12.1–14.8 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.6%5.2–6.1 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 28.6%24.1–33.7 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 26.5%23.7–29.4 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35.8%31.1–40.7 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%12.7–18.9 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.1%35.7–48.9 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.6%10.7–14.9 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78%74.3–81.4 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 47.2%43.4–51 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.4%77.3–83.2 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.6%77.7–83.3 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.2%53.9–64.4 | 67.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.1%59.7–76.1 | 77.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.9%25–33.1 | 23% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 44.2%39.8–48.7 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.9%20.6–25.2 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22.4%20.3–24.7 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.1%10–12.3 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.5%8.8–10.4 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.8%13.4–16.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.6%7–8.2 | 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 Shamokin
Is Shamokin a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shamokin is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #1,028 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 18%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shamokin?
CDC estimates 42% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.9% and 49.6%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shamokin?
Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, 12.7 miles in a straight line from Shamokin’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Shamokin have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.7–14.9%), 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 Shamokin more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Shamokin.
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.