Photo: Dough4872 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Elsmere is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns
Elsmere differs from Delaware on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elsmere. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elsmere
Making ends meet is harder in Elsmere
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.4%), vs 13.9% across Delaware. Housing insecurity (17.5% vs 11.6%) and utility shut-off threats (11% vs 7.4%) are higher too. 18.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Elsmere is behind on routine checkups
It trails Delaware on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (76.5% vs 80.9%), dentist visits (54.7% vs 63.1%), cholesterol checks (84% vs 87.9%) and colon screening (61.3% vs 67.2%). Checkups ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in Elsmere has no health insurance
14.4% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 9% across Delaware. Checkups ↓
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 Elsmere’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Elsmere’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elsmere is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns, #30 of 37 in Delaware. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 43% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Elsmere’s median household income is $67,944; among the 10,326 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 33%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Elsmere compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 7.1% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.5% of Elsmere adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Delaware.
Keeping up with care
Share of Elsmere adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Delaware.
Out of every 100 Elsmere adults…
Elsmere runs below DE on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Elsmere residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Delaware. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Elsmere
No hospital or community health center in Elsmere 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 Elsmere; ≈ 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.
1.2 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
How Elsmere adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Elsmere runs above Delaware.
1 in 3 Elsmere 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.
Elsmere and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elsmere | C | 37.1% | 13% | 15.7% | CDC place |
| Wilmington | C− | 41% | 16% | 16.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elsmere adults live with a disability (Delaware 30.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elsmere
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elsmere is better than Delaware on 3 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Delaware figure falls inside Elsmere’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elsmere | DE | U.S. | vs DE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.9%20.3–25.5 | 18.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.3–16.6 | 13.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.4–20.5 | 15.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.1%31.2–43.1 | 35.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11.4–14.6 | 13.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.6%31.3–38 | 38.1% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.6%34–41.2 | 41.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.4%22.8–28 | 28.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11%9.8–12.3 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.1%6.5–7.8 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.7–7 | 6.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.5%6.6–8.5 | 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+) | 15.8%13.2–18.6 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.7%13.6–18 | 12.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.6%27.4–35.9 | 27.2% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%13.2–18.1 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.9%32.9–43.1 | 35.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.4%12.1–16.8 | 9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.5%72.8–79.7 | 80.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.7%50.9–58.4 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%81.7–86.1 | 87.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.7%69.6–75.5 | 78.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.3%56.8–65.7 | 67.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.9%68.6–80.6 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%20.2–26.6 | 21.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.1%30.2–38 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%21.1–27.5 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.4%18.8–24.4 | 13.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.5%15.4–19.9 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11%9.5–12.5 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.2%9.9–12.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.5%15.8–21.4 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34%30.3–37.8 | 30.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.9%14.1–17.8 | 14.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17%15–19 | 13% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.5–7 | 6.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.7–10.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.1–5 | 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 Elsmere
Is Elsmere a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elsmere is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #30 of 37 in Delaware. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 33%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elsmere?
CDC estimates 37.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.2% and 43.1%, against 35.3% across Delaware and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elsmere?
St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington, 1.7 miles in a straight line from Elsmere’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Elsmere have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.1–16.8%), 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 Elsmere 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 Elsmere.
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.