Photo: S.MacMillen · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Sterling Township is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns
Sterling Township differs from Pennsylvania on 11 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 18445, 18444, 18424, 18463. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sterling Township
COPD, heart disease and arthritis run high in Sterling Township
1 in 10 adults have COPD (9.9%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.5%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. Arthritis is also above the state: 37.2%, vs 30.4% across Pennsylvania. In all, Sterling Township runs above Pennsylvania on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Pennsylvania 20%), and COPD, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Sterling Township, and more people treating it
37.6% of adults have high blood pressure (Pennsylvania 32.8%), but 82.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 79.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
Sterling Township has a community health center but no hospital
Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Geisinger-Community Medical Center in Scranton, 13.6 miles away. 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 Sterling Township’s likely range; Sterling Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 18445, 18444, 18424, 18463, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Sterling Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling Township is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 65% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Sterling Township’s median household income is $70,417; among the 10,545 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$88K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.
Where Sterling Township compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 82.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Sterling Township adults…
Sterling Township runs above PA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Sterling Township is an older town: 31% 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 Sterling Township as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sterling Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Care in and near Sterling Township
1 community health center in Sterling Township, 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 Sterling Township; ≈ 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.
1.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Sterling Township adults are doing
About the same as Pennsylvania on each measure.
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.
Sterling Township and the towns around it
Sterling Township’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Township | C+ | 34.7% | 13.3% | 17.9% | ZIP codes |
| Salem Township | C+ | 34.2% | 13.2% | 17.6% | ZIP codes |
| Greene Township | C+ | 35.2% | 13.9% | 17.6% | ZIP codes |
| Dreher Township | C− | 36.4% | 15.1% | 19.1% | ZIP codes |
| Lake Wallenpaupack Estates | — | — | — | — | |
| Lehigh Township | C+ | 34.9% | 13% | 18.2% | ZIP codes |
| Madison Township | B | 32.7% | 11.4% | 16.4% | ZIP 18444 |
Lake Wallenpaupack Estates: 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 Sterling Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sterling Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sterling Township is better than Pennsylvania on 1 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Sterling Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sterling Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.3%19.3–23.4 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.9–17 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.8–17.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.7%28.7–41.3 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.3%11.7–15.1 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.6%34–41.6 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.5%33.6–41.8 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 37.2%33.7–40.8 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.6–12.1 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.5%9.6–11.5 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.5%8.7–10.4 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.9%8.9–11 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4.2–4.8 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.1%12.6–18 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.9%16–20.1 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.2%22.6–30 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.3–20 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.2%33.5–45.3 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7%5.8–8.4 | 5.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.1%77.1–83 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.1%59.7–66.4 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87%85.1–88.9 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.7%80.1–85.2 | 79.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.6%63.2–71.8 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.2%69.7–82 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.6%20.6–27 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.9%31.3–38.7 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.2%15.5–19.1 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.7%13.3–16.3 | 14.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.7%8.7–10.7 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5.3–6.2 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%8.2–9.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4.1–4.8 | 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 Sterling Township
Is Sterling Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sterling Township is healthier than 40% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 47%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sterling Township?
CDC estimates 34.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.7% and 41.3%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sterling Township?
Geisinger-Community Medical Center in Scranton, 13.6 miles in a straight line from Sterling Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sterling Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–8.4%), 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 Sterling Township 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 Sterling 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.