Photo: Linda Roy Walls · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Laurel is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Laurel differs from Delaware on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Laurel. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Laurel
Dental care lags in Laurel
50.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.1% across Delaware. Among those 65 and older, 23.1% have lost all their teeth (Delaware 12.7%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Laurel
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (25.6%), vs 13.9% across Delaware. Utility shut-off threats (13.6% vs 7.4%) and housing insecurity (19.9% vs 11.6%) are higher too. 23.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.7% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mental distress runs high in Laurel
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (19.3%), vs 15.4% across Delaware. Lack of emotional support is above the state too: 25.9%, vs 21.6% across Delaware. Mind & connection ↓
Laurel is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Laurel is healthier than 17%. Against the 5,256 towns with similar household incomes ($36K–$61K), it’s healthier than 45%. 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 Laurel’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Laurel’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laurel is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns, #34 of 37 in Delaware. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 36% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 13%).
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). Laurel’s median household income is $48,644; among the 5,256 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$61K), it’s healthier than 45%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Laurel compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.1% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Laurel 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.
23.6% of Laurel adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Delaware.
How Laurel adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Laurel runs above Delaware.
4 in 10 Laurel 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.
Out of every 100 Laurel adults…
Laurel runs below DE on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Laurel
No hospital or community health center in Laurel 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 Laurel; ≈ 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.
0.3 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Laurel and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel | C− | 40% | 13% | 18.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Laurel adults live with a disability (Delaware 30.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Laurel
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Laurel is better than Delaware on 2 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Delaware figure falls inside Laurel’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Laurel | DE | U.S. | vs DE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.3%21.5–27.4 | 18.8% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.6–17 | 13.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.3%17.2–21.5 | 15.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40%33.9–46 | 35.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13%11.5–14.5 | 13.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38%34.6–41.4 | 38.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.1%35.4–42.7 | 41.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.6%23.1–28.2 | 28.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12.6%11.1–14.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 6.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.1%7–9.4 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 23.1%19.8–27.1 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.6%16–21.2 | 12.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.6%28.2–37.1 | 27.2% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14%11.8–16.5 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.2%35.4–45.7 | 35.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.9%11.4–16.5 | 9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%76.4–82.9 | 80.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.6%47–54.4 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.5%81–85.7 | 87.9% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.4%72.6–77.9 | 78.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.7%56.6–65.3 | 67.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.8%72.6–83 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.5–26 | 21.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.2%32.2–40.4 | 31.7% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.9%22.5–29.3 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 25.6%21.9–29.3 | 13.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.9%17.2–22.7 | 11.6% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.6%11.7–15.5 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13%11.3–14.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 23.6%19.8–27.4 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.2%30.2–38.1 | 30.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.9%13.9–17.8 | 14.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.5%15.4–19.8 | 13% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.3–6.7 | 6.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11%9.7–12.5 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 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 Laurel
Is Laurel a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laurel is healthier than 17% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #34 of 37 in Delaware. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 45%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Laurel?
CDC estimates 40% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.9% and 46%, against 35.3% across Delaware and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Laurel?
Tidalhealth Nanticoke in Seaford, 5.1 miles in a straight line from Laurel’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Laurel have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.4–16.5%), 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 Laurel 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 Laurel.
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.