Photo: Smallbones · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Townsend is healthier than 38%
Townsend differs from Delaware on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Townsend. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Townsend
Against towns with similar incomes, Townsend’s lead shrinks
Townsend is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, but 38% of the 2,556 towns with similar household incomes ($115K–$191K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Townsend doesn’t win on
18.2% of adults binge drink, vs 14.2% across Delaware, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Heart disease and COPD are less common in Townsend
Townsend runs below Delaware on eight chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (3.7% vs 6.9%), COPD (4.1% vs 7.1%) and stroke (2.3% vs 3.7%). A young population is part of it: only 6% of residents are 65 or older (Delaware 21%). Conditions ↓
Townsend is an active town
Only 20.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 27.2% across Delaware. Habits ↓
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 Townsend’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Townsend’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Townsend is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #6 of 37 in Delaware. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 95% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 63%.
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). Townsend’s median household income is $153,000; among the 2,556 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($115K–$191K), it’s healthier than 38%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Everyday habits, side by side with Delaware
Share of adults, with the Delaware figure marked.
0.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Townsend adults…
Townsend runs below DE on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 6% of Townsend residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Delaware. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Townsend
No hospital or community health center in Townsend 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 Townsend; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Townsend adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Delaware.
How Townsend adults are doing
About the same as Delaware on each measure.
1 in 3 Townsend 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.
9.8% of Townsend adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Delaware.
Townsend and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Townsend | A | 33.6% | 8.9% | 10.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Townsend adults live with a disability (Delaware 30.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Townsend
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Townsend is better than Delaware on 13 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Delaware figure falls inside Townsend’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Townsend | DE | U.S. | vs DE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14%11.7–16.2 | 18.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.2%8.8–11.6 | 13.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.1–18.4 | 15.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.6%27.9–39.4 | 35.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.9%7.7–10.2 | 13.1% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.4%26.1–32.7 | 38.1% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.5%29–36.1 | 41.2% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 19.7%17.3–22.1 | 28.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–12.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.7%5.2–6.3 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.7%3.3–4.2 | 6.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.1%3.4–4.8 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.6 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.2%7.6–11.1 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.8%8.6–13.2 | 12.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.5%16.8–24.4 | 27.2% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.2%15.5–21.1 | 14.2% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.2%33.2–43.4 | 35.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.6%5.2–8.2 | 9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.3%73.7–80.6 | 80.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65%61.4–68.4 | 63.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.1%84.9–89.1 | 87.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.8%65.2–72.2 | 78.1% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.9%57.5–66.1 | 67.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.4%73.8–84.3 | 78.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.9%18.7–25.1 | 21.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.4%28.4–36.5 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.4%19.1–25.9 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.1%9.6–14.7 | 13.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12%9.8–14.1 | 11.6% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.5–9.2 | 7.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.4%6.2–8.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.8%7.4–12.2 | 11.7% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.6%20–27.2 | 30.6% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.3%7.9–10.8 | 14.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.4%10.4–14.4 | 13% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.7%3.2–4.2 | 6.7% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3–3.9 | 4.9% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.3–7.3 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.3–3.1 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Townsend
Is Townsend a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Townsend is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #6 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 Townsend?
CDC estimates 33.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.9% and 39.4%, against 35.3% across Delaware and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Townsend?
Christiana Hospital in Newark, 19.1 miles in a straight line from Townsend’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Townsend have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–8.2%), 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 Townsend more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Townsend.
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.