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Walking path in Sunbury 2Photo: Jakec · CC BY-SA 4.0
DHealth Grade
Health in Sunbury · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Sunbury is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns

Sunbury trails Pennsylvania on 17 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Sunbury

COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Sunbury

1 in 9 adults have COPD (11.2%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.7%), vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. Heart disease is also above the state: 9%, vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. In all, Sunbury runs above Pennsylvania on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Dental care lags in Sunbury

53% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Pennsylvania. Among those 65 and older, 22.8% have lost all their teeth (Pennsylvania 14.5%). Checkups ↓

More Sunbury adults get no exercise

1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.2%), vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. Habits ↓

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

Health Grade

What’s behind Sunbury’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sunbury is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns, #995 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 30% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 3%).

DSelf-rated health25.9% · PA 18.7% · U.S. 19.4%
DPhysical distress17.5% · PA 13.2% · U.S. 13%
DMental distress19.8% · PA 16.4% · U.S. 15.9%
C−Obesity40.4% · PA 33.8% · U.S. 32.9%
CDiabetes13.4% · PA 11.6% · U.S. 12%
D−Smoking23% smoke · PA 15.8% · U.S. 11.8%
DExercise32.2% · PA 23.8% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 10%
Less healthyHealthier
Pennsylvania towns we grade (1,035)Healthier than 4%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $38K–$64K (6,136)Healthier than 22%

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). Sunbury’s median household income is $51,028; among the 6,136 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$64K), it’s healthier than 22%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Sunbury could be anywhere from D− to C.
A note on the data.2023 figures come from the FBI's Crime Data Explorer; the FBI's published 2023 table doesn't include this department

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Sunbury adults…

Sunbury runs above PA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Sunbury adults have COPD
Pennsylvania: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 10.1–12.4%
Better than PAWorseAbout the samePennsylvania
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

78%Yearly checkupPA 79%
53%Dentist visitPA 64%
82%Cholesterol checkPA 85%
62%Colon screeningPA 68%
75%MammogramPA 78%
80%Taking BP medsPA 79%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Sunbury 10.7% · Pennsylvania 1 in 17 (5.8%)
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania

Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.

Get no exercise 32.2%PA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hours 41.4%PA 37.9%
Binge drink 17.2%PA 18.3%
Smoke cigarettes 23%PA 15.8%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Sunbury, betterSunbury, worseAbout the samePennsylvania
Where Sunbury gets moving

1.4 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Getting care

Care in and near Sunbury

No hospital or community health center in Sunbury itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERWellspan Evangelical Community HospitalLewisburg · 9.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyWellspan Evangelical Community Hospital★★★★★ · 9.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost carePrimary Health NetworkShamokin · 13.3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
9.7 mi
Wellspan Evangelical Community Hospital
Lewisburg · ★★★★★
ER
12.2 mi
Geisinger Medical Center
Danville · ★★★★★
ER
13.3 mi
Primary Health Network
3 sites · nearest in Shamokin
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
20.2 mi
Geisinger-Bloomsburg Hospital
Bloomsburg · ★★★★★
ER
22.9 mi
Hamilton Health Center
2 sites · nearest in Millersburg
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
24 mi
UPMC Muncy
Muncy · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
✓ Primary careSunbury is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Sunbury itself
✓ Mental healthSunbury is not a shortage area

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 Sunbury; ≈ 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 Sunbury adults are doing

On 2 of 2 measures, Sunbury runs above Pennsylvania.

1 in 4Sunbury adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.9% · PA 23% · Worse than PA
1 in 5Sunbury adults are in frequent mental distress
19.8% · PA 16.4% · Worse than 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

Sunbury and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
SunburyD40.4%13.4%23%CDC place

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

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

39.1%

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

Walking or climbing stairs19.4%
Thinking or memory18.9%
Hearing9.7%
Errands alone11.6%
Vision7.4%
Dressing or bathing5.6%
Pennsylvania

Every CDC estimate for Sunbury

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

On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sunbury is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Sunbury’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…SunburyPAU.S.vs PA
Overall health
Fair or poor health25.9%23.4–28.618.7%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)17.5%15.6–19.413.2%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)19.8%17.9–21.816.4%15.9%Worse
Conditions
Obesity40.4%33.4–47.933.8%32.9%About the same
Diabetes13.4%11.7–15.311.6%12%Worse
High blood pressure37.8%33.4–42.132.8%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)35.9%31.5–40.533.8%37.1%About the same
Arthritis35.5%31.9–39.230.4%25.3%Worse
Asthma11.6%10.2–13.110.6%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer8.5%7.7–9.48.8%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease9%8.2–9.97.4%6.4%Worse
COPD11.2%10.1–12.47.7%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.7%4.4–5.13.7%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)22.8%18.9–27.114.5%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes23%20.4–25.815.8%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work32.2%27.7–36.923.8%24.7%Worse
Binge drinking17.2%14.2–20.618.3%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours41.4%35.1–48.237.9%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)10.7%9.2–12.45.8%11%Worse
Checkup in the past year78%74.4–81.578.8%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year53%49.1–56.964.4%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years82.1%79.2–84.785.3%87.1%Worse
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)79.5%76.2–82.379.2%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)62.1%57–67.167.5%65.5%Worse
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)74.6%66.7–81.677.7%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression26.9%23.2–30.923%20.6%Worse
Disability
Any disability39.1%34.9–43.631.3%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs19.4%17.3–21.514.2%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering18.9%17–2114.1%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty9.7%8.7–10.87.6%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty7.4%6.7–85.1%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone11.6%10.5–12.78.2%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing5.6%5.1–63.7%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 Sunbury

Is Sunbury a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sunbury is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D for health, #995 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 22%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Sunbury?

CDC estimates 40.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.4% and 47.9%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Sunbury?

Wellspan Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg, 9.7 miles in a straight line from Sunbury’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.

How many people in Sunbury have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 10.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.2–12.4%), 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 Sunbury 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 Sunbury.

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.