Photo: Talk2dan · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Whitaker is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns
Whitaker trails Pennsylvania on 14 of 26 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Whitaker. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Whitaker
COPD, stroke and diabetes run high in Whitaker
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.6%), vs 7.7% across Pennsylvania. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.7%), vs 3.7% across Pennsylvania. Diabetes is also above the state: 14.2%, vs 11.6% across Pennsylvania. In all, Whitaker runs above Pennsylvania on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Whitaker
55.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Pennsylvania. Among those 65 and older, 20.1% have lost all their teeth (Pennsylvania 14.5%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Whitaker
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (21.4%), 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 Whitaker’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Whitaker’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Whitaker is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 37% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Whitaker’s median household income is $63,194; among the 9,608 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 20%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Whitaker adults…
Whitaker runs above PA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Whitaker 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.
0.4 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Whitaker
No hospital or community health center in Whitaker 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 Whitaker; ≈ 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 Whitaker 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.
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Whitaker and the towns around it
Whitaker’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitaker | C− | 37.8% | 14.2% | 21.4% | CDC place |
| Munhall | C+ | 34.7% | 12.7% | 19.2% | CDC place |
| West Mifflin | B− | 33.6% | 12.5% | 17.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Whitaker adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Whitaker
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Whitaker is better than Pennsylvania on 0 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Whitaker’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Whitaker | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.6%22.1–27.1 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.5–19.2 | 13.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16.4–20 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.8%33.1–42.5 | 33.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.4–16.1 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.8%34.1–39.6 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.4%32.4–38.4 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 36.3%33.2–39.4 | 30.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.3–13.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.9–9.6 | 8.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.9%8.1–9.9 | 7.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.6%9.6–11.9 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.3–5.2 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.1%16.6–23.7 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.4%19–23.9 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.1%25.5–32.8 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.7%15.1–20.5 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.7%35.3–44.1 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.5%6.9–10.3 | 5.8% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.7%75.6–81.5 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.3%51.8–58.8 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.5%81.3–85.6 | 85.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.5%78.9–83.9 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.1%55.3–64.8 | 67.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.3%66.2–79.4 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%22.1–28.5 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.3%33.6–40.9 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19%17–21.1 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%15.1–18.7 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.4–10.5 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6.2–7.5 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.8%9.7–11.9 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%5.1–6 | 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 Whitaker
Is Whitaker a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Whitaker is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 20%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Whitaker?
CDC estimates 37.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.1% and 42.5%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Whitaker?
UPMC Mckeesport Hospital in Mc Keesport, 3.8 miles in a straight line from Whitaker’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Whitaker have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.9–10.3%), 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 Whitaker 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 Whitaker.
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.