Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Highland Acres is healthier than 10%
Highland Acres differs from Delaware on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Highland Acres. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Highland Acres
Highland Acres trails towns with similar incomes
Highland Acres is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns, and only 10% of the 8,224 towns with similar household incomes ($77K–$128K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
COPD, diabetes and obesity run high in Highland Acres
1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.6%), vs 7.1% across Delaware. 1 in 6 adults have diabetes (15.5%), vs 13.1% across Delaware. Obesity is also above the state: 41.6%, vs 35.3% across Delaware. In all, Highland Acres runs above Delaware on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Highland Acres, and more people treating it
42.6% of adults have high blood pressure (Delaware 38.1%), but 81.3% of them take medicine for it, vs 78.1% statewide. 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 Highland Acres’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Highland Acres’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highland Acres is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns, #28 of 37 in Delaware. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 69% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Highland Acres’ median household income is $102,356; among the 8,224 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($77K–$128K), it’s healthier than 10%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where Highland Acres compares well: binge drinking, 11.9% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 83.9% (U.S. 77.4%); dentist visit in the past year, 67.3% (U.S. 63.2%).
Out of every 100 Highland Acres adults…
Highland Acres runs above DE on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Highland Acres adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Delaware.
Care in and near Highland Acres
No hospital or community health center in Highland Acres 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 Highland Acres; ≈ 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 1 park or preserve
How Highland Acres adults are doing
About the same as Delaware on each measure.
1 in 3 Highland Acres 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.8% of Highland Acres adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Delaware.
Highland Acres and the towns around it
Highland Acres’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Acres | C | 41.6% | 15.5% | 12.8% | CDC place |
| Rising Sun-Lebanon | B | 40.3% | 11.4% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Kent Acres | C | 43.4% | 15% | 13.6% | CDC place |
| Camden | B− | 40.8% | 13.9% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| Rodney Village | D | 47.8% | 16.7% | 14.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Highland Acres adults live with a disability (Delaware 30.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Highland Acres
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Highland Acres is better than Delaware on 4 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Delaware figure falls inside Highland Acres’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Highland Acres | DE | U.S. | vs DE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.8%18.2–23.6 | 18.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.3–16.9 | 13.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.1–18 | 15.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.6%35.4–48.3 | 35.3% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.5%13.7–17.5 | 13.1% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.6%38.9–46.4 | 38.1% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.1%39.2–47.2 | 41.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.4%30.3–36.6 | 28.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12%10.7–13.5 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.7–11.8 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.2–9 | 6.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.6%7.4–10 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.9–4.8 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12%9.8–14.3 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.8%10.8–15 | 12.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 31.3%27.1–36.1 | 27.2% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 11.9%9.9–14.1 | 14.2% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.9%31.8–42.1 | 35.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8%6.6–9.5 | 9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.9%81–86.4 | 80.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.3%63.7–70.7 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.7%87–90.1 | 87.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.3%78.8–83.6 | 78.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.7%66.4–74.7 | 67.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.2%66.4–79.1 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22%19–25.5 | 21.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.3%28.6–36.2 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%17.8–23.6 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.9%11–14.9 | 13.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.7%9.2–12.3 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%5.9–7.9 | 7.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.2%6.3–8.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.8%9.7–13.9 | 11.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.5%31.6–39.7 | 30.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.1%15.9–20.5 | 14.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.3%11.6–15.2 | 13% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.3–9.3 | 6.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%4.8–6.1 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.6–9.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 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 Highland Acres
Is Highland Acres a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highland Acres is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #28 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 Highland Acres?
CDC estimates 41.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.4% and 48.3%, against 35.3% across Delaware and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Highland Acres?
Bayhealth Medical Center, Kent Campus in Dover, 2.5 miles in a straight line from Highland Acres’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Highland Acres have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–9.5%), 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 Highland Acres 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 Highland Acres.
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.