Photo: Canadian2006 · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Slippery Rock is healthier than 96%
Slippery Rock differs from Pennsylvania on 14 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Slippery Rock. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Slippery Rock
Slippery Rock is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Slippery Rock is healthier than 69%. Against the 6,548 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 96%. Health Grade ↓
Mental distress runs high in Slippery Rock
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (22.1%), vs 16.4% across Pennsylvania. Depression is above the state too: 27.3%, vs 23% across Pennsylvania. Mind & connection ↓
Cancer and diabetes are less common in Slippery Rock
Slippery Rock runs below Pennsylvania on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.6% vs 8.8%), diabetes (8.1% vs 11.6%) and high blood pressure (23.1% vs 32.8%). A young population is part of it: only 8% of residents are 65 or older (Pennsylvania 20%). Conditions ↓
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 Slippery Rock’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
What’s behind Slippery Rock’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Slippery Rock is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns, #342 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Slippery Rock’s median household income is $52,262; among the 6,548 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 96%, more than its income alone would suggest.
How Slippery Rock adults are doing
On 2 of 2 measures, Slippery Rock 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 Slippery Rock adults…
Slippery Rock runs below PA on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of Slippery Rock residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across Pennsylvania. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Slippery Rock
No hospital or community health center in Slippery Rock 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 Slippery Rock; ≈ 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.
1.5 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Slippery Rock adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Slippery Rock and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slippery Rock | B+ | 31.9% | 8.1% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| Slippery Rock University | — | — | — | — |
Slippery Rock 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 Slippery Rock adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Slippery Rock
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Slippery Rock is better than Pennsylvania on 9 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Slippery Rock’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Slippery Rock | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.2%15.3–19.3 | 18.7% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.7–13.7 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.1%19.9–24.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.9%25.9–38.4 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.1%7–9.3 | 11.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 23.1%19.7–26.8 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 25.5%21.9–29.7 | 33.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22%19.6–24.6 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.2–13.3 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5.1–6.3 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.5%5–6.1 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.3%5.6–7 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.1 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.7%17–24.9 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.6%11–14.4 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22.7%19.1–26.6 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 20.7%17–24.7 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.7%33.6–46.2 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.8%5.8–10.4 | 5.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.5%72.4–80.3 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.7%56.8–64.6 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 73.1%68.5–77.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.6%68.4–74.4 | 79.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.1%61.1–71 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74%65.5–81.5 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.3%23.4–31.4 | 23% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.8%29.7–38.1 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.2%9.9–12.5 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.3%16.3–20.5 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.4 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 5.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.7–10.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 3.7% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Slippery Rock
Is Slippery Rock a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Slippery Rock is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #342 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Slippery Rock?
CDC estimates 31.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.9% and 38.4%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Slippery Rock?
Grove City Medical Center in Grove City, 7.2 miles in a straight line from Slippery Rock’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Slippery Rock have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–10.4%), 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 Slippery Rock more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Slippery Rock.
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.