Photo: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D. · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Bear is healthier than 35%
Bear differs from Delaware on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bear. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bear
Making ends meet is harder in Bear
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19.5%), vs 13.9% across Delaware. Housing insecurity (16.5% vs 11.6%) and utility shut-off threats (10.5% vs 7.4%) are higher too. 16.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Bear’s lead shrinks
Bear is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, but 35% of the 9,770 towns with similar household incomes ($69K–$115K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Bear
Bear runs below Delaware on cancer (6.4% vs 9.1%), heart disease (5.4% vs 6.9%) and arthritis (23.9% vs 28.4%). A young population is part of it: only 15% of residents are 65 or older (Delaware 21%). Conditions ↓
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 Delaware figure falls outside Bear’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Bear’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bear is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns, #20 of 37 in Delaware. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 68% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 30%).
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). Bear’s median household income is $91,687; among the 9,770 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 35%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.6% of Bear adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Delaware.
Out of every 100 Bear adults…
Bear runs below DE on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Bear
No hospital or community health center in Bear 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 Bear; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Delaware
Share of adults, with the Delaware figure marked.
1.3 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Bear adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Delaware.
How Bear adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Bear runs above Delaware.
1 in 3 Bear adults feel lonely. 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.
Bear and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear | B− | 36% | 12.8% | 13.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bear adults live with a disability (Delaware 30.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bear
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bear is better than Delaware on 5 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Delaware figure falls inside Bear’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bear | DE | U.S. | vs DE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.1%17.9–22.3 | 18.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.6–14.3 | 13.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%15.2–18.9 | 15.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36%30.3–41.6 | 35.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11.3–14.3 | 13.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.1%31.8–38.3 | 38.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.6%33.1–40 | 41.2% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 23.9%21.5–26.4 | 28.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.9–12.4 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.4%5.8–7 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.8–5.9 | 6.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.1%5.4–6.8 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.8%10.5–15.3 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%11.5–15 | 12.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.5%24.5–32.3 | 27.2% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.7%12.4–17.1 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.3%33.4–43.6 | 35.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.2%9.7–12.9 | 9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.4%74.9–81.4 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.2%56.5–63.7 | 63.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.9%84–87.6 | 87.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.7%70.7–76.4 | 78.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.6%59.3–67.9 | 67.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.2%73.7–84.1 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21%18.1–24 | 21.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.5%30.6–38.5 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.5%22.4–28.8 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.5%17.2–21.9 | 13.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.5%14.5–18.6 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.5%9.1–11.9 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.4%9.2–11.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.6%14.2–19.1 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.3%26.8–33.7 | 30.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.6–15.8 | 14.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.8%13.1–16.5 | 13% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.9%4.3–5.4 | 6.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%5–6 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.6–9.4 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.7–4.4 | 3.7% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Delaware figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bear
Is Bear a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bear is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #20 of 37 in Delaware. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bear?
CDC estimates 36% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.3% and 41.6%, against 35.3% across Delaware and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bear?
Christiana Hospital in Newark, 5.8 miles in a straight line from Bear’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bear have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.7–12.9%), against 9% across Delaware.
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 Bear more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bear.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Delaware 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.