Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Elmwood is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Elmwood differs from Louisiana on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 22 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elmwood. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elmwood
Elmwood is the healthiest town in Louisiana we grade
Out of 161 Louisiana towns with a Health Grade, Elmwood comes first on the seven CDC estimates behind it. Nationally it’s healthier than 80% of towns. Health Grade ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Elmwood
Elmwood runs below Louisiana on eight chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.4% vs 8.5%), stroke (2.4% vs 4.3%) and heart disease (4.3% vs 7.5%). Conditions ↓
Elmwood looks healthier next to Louisiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 100% of the 161 Louisiana towns we grade, but 80% of towns nationwide. Much of Louisiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Elmwood is an active town
Only 20.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 30.3% across Louisiana. Habits ↓
Few Elmwood adults smoke
9.6% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 17.3% across Louisiana. 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 Louisiana figure falls outside Elmwood’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Elmwood’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elmwood is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #1 of 161 in Louisiana. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 96% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 40%).
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). Elmwood’s median household income is $89,430; among the 10,002 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$112K), it’s healthier than 83%, about where its income would put it.
Few Louisiana towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Elmwood is healthier than 100% of graded towns, against 80% nationally.
Out of every 100 Elmwood adults…
Elmwood runs below LA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Louisiana
Share of adults, with the Louisiana figure marked.
Care in and near Elmwood
No hospital or community health center in Elmwood 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 Elmwood; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Elmwood adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
How Elmwood adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Elmwood does better than Louisiana.
1 in 3 Elmwood 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.
9.5% of Elmwood adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
Elmwood and the towns around it
Elmwood has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elmwood | A− | 37.5% | 9.9% | 9.6% | CDC place |
| Harahan | B | 36.8% | 13% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| Jefferson | C | 41.8% | 15.9% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Avondale | D− | 45.4% | 20.8% | 22% | CDC place |
| Bridge City | D− | 47.8% | 20.1% | 20.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elmwood adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elmwood
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elmwood is better than Louisiana on 22 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Elmwood’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elmwood | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.9%12.9–17 | 24.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.9%8.6–11.2 | 15.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.7–18.8 | 19.3% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.5%32.6–42.1 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.9%8.7–11.2 | 15.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.5%29.3–35.4 | 42.6% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.4%28.2–34.3 | 38.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 21.1%18.9–23.2 | 29.7% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.3–10.5 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.3–6.5 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.3%3.8–4.9 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.4%3.7–5.1 | 8.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.1–2.6 | 4.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7%5.7–8.5 | 18.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.6%7.9–11.5 | 17.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.2%17.1–23.4 | 30.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.7%16.7–22.6 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.2%32.9–41.3 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.7%4.6–6.8 | 8.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.6%78.6–84.1 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.5%65.5–71.4 | 57.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.1%86.3–89.7 | 86.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.2%70.2–75.8 | 78.8% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.5%66.6–74.2 | 66.3% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.3%76.9–86.7 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.8%21.7–27.8 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.8%31.9–40.1 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%21.3–27.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.3%11.1–16.2 | 22.5% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12%10.1–14.5 | 16.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.9%7.6–10.7 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.7–9.3 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5%7.6–12 | 19% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.6%22.3–28.8 | 38% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.4%8.1–10.9 | 17.6% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%11.7–15.3 | 18.4% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5%4.4–5.6 | 8% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.4–4.3 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.5–7.2 | 10.3% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 5.1% | 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 Louisiana figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Elmwood
Is Elmwood a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elmwood is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #1 of 161 in Louisiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 83%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elmwood?
CDC estimates 37.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.6% and 42.1%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elmwood?
Ochsner Medical Center Acute in New Orleans, 2.6 miles in a straight line from Elmwood’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Elmwood have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.6–6.8%), against 8.9% across Louisiana.
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 Elmwood 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 Elmwood.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Louisiana 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.