Photo: Shuvaev · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Walker Township is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns
Walker Township trails Pennsylvania on 12 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 18252. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Walker Township
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Walker Township
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.6%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.3%), vs 7.4% across Pennsylvania. Stroke is also above the state: 4.6%, vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. In all, Walker Township runs above Pennsylvania on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Walker Township
58.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Pennsylvania. Among those 65 and older, 18.6% have lost all their teeth (Pennsylvania 14.5%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Walker Township
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (21.2%), 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 Walker Township’s likely range; Walker Township’s figures come from ZIP code 18252, 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 Walker Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Walker Township is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 36% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Walker Township’s median household income is $88,571; among the 10,125 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($66K–$111K), it’s healthier than 5%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Walker Township adults…
Walker Township runs above PA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Walker Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
1.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Walker Township
No hospital or community health center in Walker Township 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 Walker Township; ≈ 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).
How Walker Township adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Walker Township 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.
Walker Township and the towns around it
Walker Township’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walker Township | C− | 39.8% | 13% | 21.2% | ZIP 18252 |
| West Penn Township | C | 37.9% | 12.9% | 19.2% | ZIP codes |
| Tamaqua | D | 41.4% | 13.1% | 23% | CDC place |
| Schuylkill Township | C− | 39.3% | 13.2% | 20.5% | ZIP codes |
| Blythe Township | — | — | — | — |
Blythe Township: 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 Walker Township adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Walker Township
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Walker Township is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Walker Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Walker Township | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.2%20.7–25.9 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.5–18.4 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.8–20.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.8%31.8–48.5 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11.2–15.1 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36%31.6–40.5 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%31.8–41.3 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 37.6%33.4–42 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.1–13.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.1%9.1–11.1 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.3%8.4–10.3 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.6%9.5–11.8 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.2–5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.6%15.2–22.6 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.2%18.7–24 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.9%23.3–32.7 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%14.1–21.2 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.1%33.8–48.9 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7.2–10 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.2%75.3–82.7 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.9%54.9–62.9 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85%82.4–87.3 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.1%77.8–83.9 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66%60.7–71.2 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.4%66–81.9 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.6%22.6–30.9 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.4%33.8–43.3 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.4%16.2–20.6 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.3%15.4–19.3 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.8%8.7–11 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.4%5.8–7 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.5%9.5–11.6 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.6–5.4 | 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 Walker Township
Is Walker Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Walker Township is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 5%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Walker Township?
CDC estimates 39.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.8% and 48.5%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Walker Township?
St. Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital in Coaldale, 7.8 miles in a straight line from Walker Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Walker Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–10%), 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 Walker 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 Walker 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.