Photo: Dough4872 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Shenandoah is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns
Shenandoah trails Pennsylvania on 17 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Shenandoah. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shenandoah
1 in 6 working-age adults in Shenandoah has no health insurance
15.7% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.8% across Pennsylvania. Checkups ↓
More Shenandoah adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (35%), vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. Habits ↓
Shenandoah is in the bottom 4% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Shenandoah is healthier than only 4% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
More Shenandoah adults live with a disability
44.2% of adults live with a disability, vs 31.3% across Pennsylvania. The biggest difference is vision loss: 9.3% vs 5.1%. Disability ↓
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 Shenandoah’s likely range.
What’s behind Shenandoah’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shenandoah is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns, #1,024 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All seven of Shenandoah’s estimates fall in the lowest 13% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is smoking: 22.6% of adults, against 15.8% across Pennsylvania and 11.8% nationally.
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). Shenandoah’s median household income is $45,294; among the 4,113 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($34K–$57K), it’s healthier than 14%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Shenandoah 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.
0.1 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Shenandoah adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Out of every 100 Shenandoah adults…
Shenandoah runs above PA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Shenandoah
1 community health center in Shenandoah, 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 Shenandoah; ≈ 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 Shenandoah adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Shenandoah 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.
Shenandoah and the towns around it
Shenandoah’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shenandoah | D− | 43.3% | 15.5% | 22.6% | CDC place |
| West Mahanoy Township | C− | 40.8% | 13.3% | 20.5% | ZIP codes |
| Mahanoy Township | D | 42% | 15.4% | 23.2% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Every CDC estimate for Shenandoah
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shenandoah is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Shenandoah’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shenandoah | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.7%26.8–32.9 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.9–21.2 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.8%17.9–22 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.3%35.2–52 | 33.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.5%13.5–17.8 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 38.9%34.6–43.3 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37%32.4–41.7 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 37.8%33.9–42 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.3–13.3 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.2–10 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.4%9.4–11.5 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.1%10.9–13.4 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.5%5.1–6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23.2%18.9–27.9 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 22.6%20–25.7 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35%29.9–40.5 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%12.5–19 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.9%35.7–50.7 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.7%13.1–18.4 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.1%75.4–82.7 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.4%46.4–54.6 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.6%78.7–84.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.9%79.1–84.4 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59%53.2–64.6 | 67.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.1%63–80.1 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.1%22.3–30.5 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 44.2%39.4–49.2 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.5%20.2–25 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.3%18.2–22.7 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.3%10.1–12.6 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.3%8.5–10.1 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.4%12.1–14.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.9%6.4–7.5 | 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 Shenandoah
Is Shenandoah a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shenandoah is healthier than 4% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #1,024 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 14%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shenandoah?
CDC estimates 43.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.2% and 52%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shenandoah?
Schuylkill Medical Center - South Jackson Street in Pottsville, 9.2 miles in a straight line from Shenandoah’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Shenandoah have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.1–18.4%), 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 Shenandoah more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Shenandoah.
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.