David Robbins Homestead · Photo: Smallbones · CC0On CDC estimates, Milton is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns
Milton differs from Delaware on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Milton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Milton
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Milton
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.9%), vs 9.1% across Delaware. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (33%), vs 28.4% across Delaware. Heart disease is also above the state: 8%, vs 6.9% across Delaware. In all, Milton runs above Delaware on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 41% of residents are 65 or older (Delaware 21%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Milton keeps up with checkups
It beats Delaware on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.8% vs 80.9%) and cholesterol checks (90.6% vs 87.9%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Milton adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Delaware. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 7 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Milton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Milton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Milton is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns, #13 of 37 in Delaware. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 93% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). Milton’s median household income is $80,875; among the 10,714 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$101K), it’s healthier than 80%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Milton adults…
Milton runs below DE on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Milton is an older town: 41% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Delaware. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Milton as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Milton 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.
8% of Milton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Delaware.
Care in and near Milton
No hospital or community health center in Milton 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 Milton; ≈ 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.
0.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Milton adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Milton does better than Delaware.
3 in 10 Milton 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.
Milton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milton | B+ | 32.4% | 12.6% | 12% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Milton adults live with a disability (Delaware 30.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Milton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Milton is better than Delaware on 11 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Delaware figure falls inside Milton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Milton | DE | U.S. | vs DE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.9%14.5–19.6 | 18.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.6–15.1 | 13.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.6–15 | 15.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.4%26.8–38.4 | 35.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.6%10.9–14.4 | 13.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41%37.2–44.9 | 38.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 47.4%43.4–51.4 | 41.2% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33%29.8–36.4 | 28.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.8 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.9%10.8–13 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7–9 | 6.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.7%6.4–9.2 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.4–4.3 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9%7.5–10.9 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12%9.7–14.3 | 12.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.4%20.5–28.7 | 27.2% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.5%11.4–15.8 | 14.2% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.2%26.9–36.2 | 35.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.8%6.1–9.7 | 9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.8%81–86.3 | 80.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.8%62.5–69.3 | 63.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.6%89.2–92 | 87.9% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.2%80.8–85.4 | 78.1% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.1%71.7–78.7 | 67.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.3%74.1–84.3 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%17.6–23.9 | 21.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.2%24.8–31.8 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18%15.4–20.7 | 21.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.9%8.2–11.9 | 13.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.8%6.5–9.3 | 11.6% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.4–6.1 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.5%4.7–6.4 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8%6.4–10 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.7%24.9–32.6 | 30.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.1–16.6 | 14.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.9%9.3–12.4 | 13% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%7–9 | 6.7% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.7–4.9 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6–8.1 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%2.9–3.9 | 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 Milton
Is Milton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Milton is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #13 of 37 in Delaware. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 80%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Milton?
CDC estimates 32.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.8% and 38.4%, against 35.3% across Delaware and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Milton?
Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, 9.3 miles in a straight line from Milton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Milton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–9.7%), 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 Milton more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Milton.
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.