Photo: Ugen64 at English Wikipedia · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Swarthmore is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Swarthmore differs from Pennsylvania on 19 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Swarthmore. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Swarthmore
COPD and stroke are less common in Swarthmore
Swarthmore runs below Pennsylvania on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (3.8% vs 7.7%), stroke (2% vs 3.7%) and heart disease (4.6% vs 7.4%). Conditions ↓
Swarthmore is an active town
Only 14.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. Habits ↓
Few Swarthmore adults smoke
7.9% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 15.8% 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 Swarthmore’s likely range.
What’s behind Swarthmore’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Swarthmore is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #4 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than almost every town); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 85%.
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). Swarthmore’s median household income is $152,361; among the 2,583 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($114K–$190K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Swarthmore adults…
Swarthmore runs below PA on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
4.2 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Care in and near Swarthmore
No hospital or community health center in Swarthmore 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 Swarthmore; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Swarthmore adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
How Swarthmore adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Swarthmore does better than 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.
Swarthmore and the towns around it
Swarthmore has the best Health Grade of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swarthmore | A+ | 24% | 7.4% | 7.9% | CDC place |
| Nether Providence Township | A+ | 27.2% | 10.1% | 9.5% | ZIP codes |
| Springfield Township | A | 27.6% | 9.7% | 11% | ZIP codes |
| Ridley Township | B+ | 31.5% | 10.6% | 15.9% | ZIP codes |
| Folsom | — | — | — | — | |
| Woodlyn | — | — | — | — |
Folsom and Woodlyn: Census-designated places inside larger towns, graded as part of them. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Swarthmore adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Swarthmore
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Swarthmore is better than Pennsylvania on 18 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Swarthmore’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Swarthmore | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 10.1%8.9–11.5 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%13–16.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24%19.1–29.6 | 33.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.4%6.4–8.6 | 11.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 24.4%21.5–27.3 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 29.3%25.8–32.7 | 33.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 23.3%20.5–26.3 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.4–10.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.7%7–8.6 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.8%3.4–4.3 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2%1.9–2.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.3%3.3–5.3 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.9%6.8–9.1 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 14.4%11.8–17.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.8%17.1–24.8 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.9%30.1–42.1 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4%3.1–5.3 | 5.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.7%73.9–81.3 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77%74.1–79.8 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.1%82.6–87.4 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.3%72–78.2 | 79.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.3%67.8–76.6 | 67.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.1%77–88.2 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.8%18.5–25.4 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.8%18.6–25.2 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.5%6.5–8.6 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.7%2.5–3 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.7%1.6–1.9 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Swarthmore
Is Swarthmore a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Swarthmore is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #4 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Swarthmore?
CDC estimates 24% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.1% and 29.6%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Swarthmore?
Crozer Chester Medical Center in Upland, 3.3 miles in a straight line from Swarthmore’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Swarthmore have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.1–5.3%), 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 Swarthmore more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Swarthmore.
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.