Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Blades is healthier than 61%
Blades differs from Delaware on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Blades. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Blades
Making ends meet is harder in Blades
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (18.3%), vs 13.9% across Delaware. Housing insecurity (14.9% vs 11.6%) and utility shut-off threats (9.5% vs 7.4%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in Blades has no health insurance
13.5% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 9% across Delaware. Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Blades
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.7%), vs 12.6% across Delaware. Habits ↓
Blades is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Blades is healthier than 35%. Against the 7,980 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 61%. Health Grade ↓
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 Blades’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Blades’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Blades is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 61% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 21%).
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). Blades’ median household income is $56,875; among the 7,980 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 61%, more 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.
14.9% of Blades adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Delaware.
Keeping up with care
Share of Blades adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Delaware.
Everyday habits, side by side with Delaware
Share of adults, with the Delaware figure marked.
0.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Blades adults…
Blades runs below DE on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Blades
No hospital or community health center in Blades 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 Blades; ≈ 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 Blades adults are doing
About the same as Delaware on each measure.
1 in 3 Blades 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.
Blades and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blades | C+ | 37.3% | 13.5% | 15.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Blades adults live with a disability (Delaware 30.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Blades
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Blades is better than Delaware on 1 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Delaware figure falls inside Blades’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Blades | DE | U.S. | vs DE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.8%18.9–24.7 | 18.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13–16.5 | 13.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.5–18.4 | 15.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.3%31.4–43.4 | 35.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.5%11.8–15.1 | 13.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.7%36–43.1 | 38.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.7%38.8–46.4 | 41.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.4%25.6–31.2 | 28.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.6 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.1%7.3–8.9 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.4–8.1 | 6.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.8%6.7–9 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4%3.6–4.5 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.4%11.1–16.1 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.7%13.3–18.1 | 12.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.4%25.9–35.1 | 27.2% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%12.1–16.8 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.6%31.9–41.8 | 35.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.5%11–16.1 | 9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.7%77.5–83.7 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.6%55–62.4 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.5%84.4–88.4 | 87.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%76.5–81.4 | 78.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.3%63.4–71.4 | 67.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.6%75.6–85.5 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.8%17.8–23.8 | 21.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.3%29.4–37.4 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.9%20.8–27.4 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.3%15.7–21.3 | 13.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.9%12.8–17.2 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.5%8.2–10.9 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.3%8.1–10.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.9%12.4–17.9 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.6%28.6–36.5 | 30.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.7%13.5–17.8 | 14.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.6%12.8–16.7 | 13% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.2–7.9 | 6.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%7.9–10.2 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.8–4.9 | 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 Delaware figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Blades
Is Blades a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Blades is healthier than 35% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Blades?
CDC estimates 37.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.4% and 43.4%, against 35.3% across Delaware and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Blades?
Tidalhealth Nanticoke in Seaford, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Blades’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Blades have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11–16.1%), 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 Blades 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 Blades.
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.