Photo: Generic1139 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Shirley Township is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Shirley Township differs from Pennsylvania on 16 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 17260, 17066, 17243. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shirley Township
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Shirley Township
1 in 8 adults have COPD (11.8%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (10.2%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. Stroke is also above the state: 5.1%, vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. In all, Shirley Township runs above Pennsylvania on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Pennsylvania 20%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Shirley Township
57% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Pennsylvania. Among those 65 and older, 24% have lost all their teeth (Pennsylvania 14.5%). Checkups ↓
More Shirley Township adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.1%), vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. There are 21 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Shirley Township is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Shirley Township is healthier than 15%. Against the 5,705 towns with similar household incomes ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 38%. 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 Shirley Township’s likely range; Shirley Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 17260, 17066, 17243, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Shirley Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shirley Township is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 42% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Shirley Township’s median household income is $49,750; among the 5,705 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 38%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Shirley Township compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.8% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Shirley Township adults…
Shirley Township runs above PA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Shirley Township is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Pennsylvania. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Shirley Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Shirley Township 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.
21 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Care in and near Shirley Township
No hospital or community health center in Shirley 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 Shirley 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).
How Shirley Township adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Shirley Township 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.
Shirley Township and the towns around it
Shirley Township’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shirley Township | C− | 37.2% | 14.2% | 21.8% | ZIP codes |
| Cromwell Township | C | 35.4% | 13.4% | 20.3% | ZIP codes |
| Wayne Township | C | 36.7% | 12.8% | 19.5% | ZIP codes |
| Tell Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Mount Union | D− | 41% | 14.8% | 26.3% | CDC place |
| Union Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Allenport | — | — | — | — | |
| Cass Township | C+ | 35.2% | 12.3% | 19.2% | ZIP codes |
Tell Township, Union Township and Allenport: 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 Shirley Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shirley Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shirley Township is better than Pennsylvania on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Shirley Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shirley Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.1%22.5–27.7 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.7–19.5 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.5–20.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.2%29.9–44.9 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.3–16.1 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.1%36.8–45.3 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%33.8–42.9 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 39.1%35.1–43.1 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.1–12.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.7–11.8 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.2%9.2–11.3 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 11.8%10.6–13.1 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.7–5.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 24%20.1–28.1 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.8%19.3–24.4 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.1%26.5–35.7 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%12.8–18.7 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.4%31.9–45.2 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.2–10.8 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%76.3–82.9 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57%53.1–60.7 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.4%81.9–86.5 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.8%80–85.3 | 79.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.2%60.1–70 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.7%66.8–81.5 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.8%21.2–28.6 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40%35.5–44.5 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.3%18.1–22.6 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%15.6–19.2 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.8%9.6–12 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.3–7.6 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.2%10.2–12.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.9–5.8 | 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 Shirley Township
Is Shirley Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shirley Township is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 38%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shirley Township?
CDC estimates 37.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.9% and 44.9%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shirley Township?
Penn Highlands Huntingdon in Huntingdon, 13.8 miles in a straight line from Shirley Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Shirley Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–10.8%), 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 Shirley Township 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 Shirley 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.