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Somerset County Courthouse Pa 2012Photo: Canadian2006 · CC BY-SA 3.0
≈ C−Health Grade
Health in Somerset · CDC PLACES 2025

Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Somerset is healthier than 56%

Somerset trails Pennsylvania on 12 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Somerset. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Somerset

Somerset is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Somerset is healthier than 20%. Against the 4,702 towns with similar household incomes ($35K–$59K), it’s healthier than 56%. Health Grade ↓

COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Somerset

1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.5%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.4%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. Stroke is also above the state: 4.7%, vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. In all, Somerset runs above Pennsylvania on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Pennsylvania 20%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

More Somerset adults get no exercise

3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.3%), vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. Habits ↓

1 in 11 working-age adults in Somerset has no health insurance

8.7% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.8% across Pennsylvania. Checkups ↓

Somerset has a top-rated hospital

UPMC Somerset is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓

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 Somerset’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.

Health Grade

What’s behind Somerset’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Somerset is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns, #936 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 36% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 9%).

C−Self-rated health23.7% · PA 18.7% · U.S. 19.4%
C−Physical distress16.4% · PA 13.2% · U.S. 13%
CMental distress18.1% · PA 16.4% · U.S. 15.9%
C+Obesity37.9% · PA 33.8% · U.S. 32.9%
CDiabetes13.1% · PA 11.6% · U.S. 12%
DSmoking20.1% smoke · PA 15.8% · U.S. 11.8%
CExercise29.3% · PA 23.8% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 20%
Less healthyHealthier
Pennsylvania towns we grade (1,035)Healthier than 10%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $35K–$59K (4,702)Healthier than 56%

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). Somerset’s median household income is $47,102; among the 4,702 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($35K–$59K), it’s healthier than 56%, more than its income alone would suggest.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Somerset could be anywhere from D− to B−. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Somerset adults…

Somerset runs above PA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Somerset adults have COPD
Pennsylvania: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 9.4–11.7%
Better than PAWorseAbout the samePennsylvania
Why age matters here

Somerset is an older town: 26% 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 Somerset as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Somerset26%
Pennsylvania20%
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania

Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.

Get no exercise 29.3%PA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 36.7%PA 37.9%
Binge drink 15.6%PA 18.3%
Smoke cigarettes 20.1%PA 15.8%
0%10%20%30%40%
Somerset, betterSomerset, worseAbout the samePennsylvania
Where Somerset gets moving

0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Somerset adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.

80%Yearly checkupPA 79%
58%Dentist visitPA 64%
84%Cholesterol checkPA 85%
65%Colon screeningPA 68%
74%MammogramPA 78%
82%Taking BP medsPA 79%
1 in 11
working-age adults has no health insurance
Somerset 8.7% · Pennsylvania 1 in 17 (5.8%)
Getting care

Care in and near Somerset

1 hospital and 1 community health center in Somerset, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERUPMC SomersetSomerset · 0.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyUPMC Somerset★★★★★ · 0.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careJohnstown Free Medical ClinicSomerset · 0.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.1 mi
Johnstown Free Medical Clinic
2 sites · nearest in Somerset
Sliding-scale feesIn Somerset
Directions to nearest
0.2 mi
UPMC Somerset
Somerset · ★★★★★
ERIn Somerset
13.8 mi
Conemaugh Meyersdale Medical Center
Meyersdale · not rated
ERRural critical access
21.5 mi
Mountain Laurel Medical Center Grantsville
Grantsville · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
22.4 mi
Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center
Johnstown · ★★★★★
ER
22.8 mi
Chan Soon- Shiong Medical Center at Windber
Windber · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careSomerset is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Somerset itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Somerset itself

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 Somerset; ≈ 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).

Mind & connection

How Somerset adults are doing

About the same as Pennsylvania on each measure.

1 in 4Somerset adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.5% · PA 23% · About the same as PA
1 in 6Somerset adults are in frequent mental distress
18.1% · PA 16.4% · About the same as PA
The one neighbors can help with

A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Somerset and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
SomersetC−37.9%13.1%20.1%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

37.5%

of Somerset adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs18.1%
Thinking or memory17%
Hearing10%
Errands alone10.6%
Vision6.4%
Dressing or bathing5%
Pennsylvania

Every CDC estimate for Somerset

Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Somerset is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Somerset’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…SomersetPAU.S.vs PA
Overall health
Fair or poor health23.7%21.2–26.318.7%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)16.4%14.6–18.413.2%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)18.1%16.2–2016.4%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity37.9%30.5–45.833.8%32.9%About the same
Diabetes13.1%11.3–15.111.6%12%About the same
High blood pressure37.7%33.7–41.932.8%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)37.7%33.2–42.333.8%37.1%About the same
Arthritis37.8%33.9–41.930.4%25.3%Worse
Asthma11.4%10–12.910.6%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer10.3%9.3–11.48.8%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease9.4%8.4–10.47.4%6.4%Worse
COPD10.5%9.4–11.77.7%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.7%4.3–5.13.7%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)16.5%13.6–19.714.5%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes20.1%17.8–22.615.8%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work29.3%24.9–34.123.8%24.7%Worse
Binge drinking15.6%12.7–19.118.3%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours36.7%30.1–43.637.9%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)8.7%6.8–10.75.8%11%Worse
Checkup in the past year79.7%76.1–83.178.8%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year58.2%54.3–6264.4%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years84.4%81.8–86.885.3%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)81.7%78.9–84.379.2%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)65.3%60.1–70.567.5%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)74.2%66.2–81.477.7%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression25.5%21.8–29.723%20.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability37.5%33.2–42.231.3%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs18.1%16–20.314.2%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering17%15.2–18.914.1%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty10%8.8–11.27.6%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty6.4%5.9–75.1%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone10.6%9.6–11.78.2%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing5%4.6–5.43.7%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 Somerset

Is Somerset a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Somerset is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #936 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 Somerset?

CDC estimates 37.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.5% and 45.8%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Somerset?

UPMC Somerset in Somerset, 0.2 miles in a straight line from Somerset’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.

How many people in Somerset have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.8–10.7%), 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 Somerset 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 Somerset.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.