Photo: J. Passepartout · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Shippensburg is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns
Shippensburg differs from Pennsylvania on 15 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Shippensburg. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shippensburg
Dental care lags in Shippensburg
55.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Pennsylvania. Among those 65 and older, 21.8% have lost all their teeth (Pennsylvania 14.5%). Checkups ↓
Mental distress runs high in Shippensburg
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.4%), vs 16.4% across Pennsylvania. Depression is above the state too: 26.7%, vs 23% across Pennsylvania. Mind & connection ↓
1 in 10 working-age adults in Shippensburg has no health insurance
9.6% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.8% across Pennsylvania. Checkups ↓
Shippensburg is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Shippensburg is healthier than 22%. Against the 6,309 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$64K), it’s healthier than 48%. 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 Shippensburg’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Shippensburg’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shippensburg is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns, #929 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 59% 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). Shippensburg’s median household income is $51,503; among the 6,309 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$64K), it’s healthier than 48%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Shippensburg adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
How Shippensburg adults are doing
On 2 of 2 measures, Shippensburg 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.
Out of every 100 Shippensburg adults…
Shippensburg runs below PA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Shippensburg
No hospital or community health center in Shippensburg 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 Shippensburg; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Shippensburg and the towns around it
Shippensburg’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shippensburg | C− | 38.3% | 11.5% | 20.7% | CDC place |
| Shippensburg Township | C | 36.9% | 10.5% | 19.1% | ZIP 17257 |
| Southampton Township | C | 37% | 10.6% | 19% | ZIP codes |
| Shippensburg University | — | — | — | — |
Shippensburg University: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Shippensburg adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shippensburg
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shippensburg is better than Pennsylvania on 1 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Shippensburg’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shippensburg | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.5%21.4–25.6 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%14.1–17.2 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.4%18.7–22.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.3%32.5–44.4 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%10.2–12.9 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.3%27.3–33.3 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.4%28.3–34.6 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.1%27.5–32.8 | 30.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.5–12.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.4%6.8–8.1 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%7.2–8.6 | 7.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.7%8.8–10.7 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.8–4.5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.8%18.4–25.3 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.7%18.6–22.9 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.8%25.2–32.4 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 19%16.1–22 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.8%34.4–45.3 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.6%7.6–11.9 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.7%73.5–79.8 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.2%52–58.4 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.7%75.9–81.4 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%74.4–79.1 | 79.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63%58.8–67.1 | 67.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.8%67.5–79.6 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.7%23.5–30.1 | 23% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.7%34.2–41.2 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.5%15–18.2 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.2%17.5–21 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.9–9.6 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6.3–7.4 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.2%10.2–12.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.5–5.3 | 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 Shippensburg
Is Shippensburg a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shippensburg is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #929 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 48%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shippensburg?
CDC estimates 38.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.5% and 44.4%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shippensburg?
Wellspan Chambersburg Hospital in Chambersburg, 10.3 miles in a straight line from Shippensburg’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Shippensburg have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–11.9%), 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 Shippensburg 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 Shippensburg.
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.