Christiana Historic District · Photo: Smallbones · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Brookside is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns
Brookside differs from Delaware on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Brookside. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brookside
Brookside is behind on routine checkups
It trails Delaware on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (77.4% vs 80.9%), dentist visits (58.9% vs 63.1%), cholesterol checks (84.9% vs 87.9%) and colon screening (62.7% vs 67.2%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Brookside
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (18.3%), vs 13.9% across Delaware. Utility shut-off threats (9.7% vs 7.4%) and no reliable transportation (10% vs 7.7%) are higher too. 16% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Brookside has a community health center but no hospital
Westside Family Healthcare is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Christiana Hospital in Newark, 2.8 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Brookside’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Brookside’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brookside is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, #24 of 37 in Delaware. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 56% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 27%).
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). Brookside’s median household income is $78,328; among the 10,833 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$98K), it’s healthier than 43%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Brookside adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Delaware.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16% of Brookside adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Delaware.
Care in and near Brookside
1 community health center in Brookside, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Brookside; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Brookside adults…
Brookside runs below DE on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Delaware
Share of adults, with the Delaware figure marked.
0.8 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Brookside adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Brookside runs above Delaware.
1 in 3 Brookside 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.
Brookside and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Brookside adults live with a disability (Delaware 30.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brookside
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brookside is better than Delaware on 2 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Delaware figure falls inside Brookside’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brookside | DE | U.S. | vs DE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.6%18.4–23 | 18.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.4–15.5 | 13.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.7–19.5 | 15.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.4%29.5–41.1 | 35.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.7%11.2–14.2 | 13.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.9%31.5–38.2 | 38.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%34.2–41.4 | 41.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.6%22.9–28.1 | 28.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.2 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.9–8.2 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–6.9 | 6.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.2%6.3–8.1 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.4%10.3–14.9 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.4–16.4 | 12.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.1%25–33.1 | 27.2% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%13–18 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37%32.1–42.1 | 35.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.1%9.5–12.9 | 9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.4%73.8–80.5 | 80.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.9%55.2–62.6 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.9%82.8–86.7 | 87.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.7%70.7–76.3 | 78.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62.7%58.3–66.9 | 67.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.1%71.1–82.3 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23%19.7–26.1 | 21.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.3%29.5–37.1 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.3%20.3–26.5 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.3%16.1–20.6 | 13.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.9%13–16.9 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.7%8.5–11 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10%8.8–11.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16%13.6–18.4 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.1%28.5–35.7 | 30.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.9%13.3–16.7 | 14.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.6%13.8–17.4 | 13% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.3–6.8 | 6.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%5.1–6.2 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%8.1–10 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 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 Brookside
Is Brookside a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brookside is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #24 of 37 in Delaware. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 43%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brookside?
CDC estimates 35.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 41.1%, against 35.3% across Delaware and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brookside?
Christiana Hospital in Newark, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Brookside’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Brookside have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.5–12.9%), 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 Brookside more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Brookside.
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.