Frost Garrison and House · Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Eliot is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Eliot differs from Maine on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03903. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Eliot
Fewer Eliot adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Maine. 1 in 14 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 9 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Eliot is an active town
Only 19.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.1% across Maine. The town has 13 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves. 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 Maine figure falls outside Eliot’s likely range; Eliot’s figures come from ZIP code 03903, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Eliot’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Eliot is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #27 of 143 in Maine. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 86% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 69%.
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). Eliot’s median household income is $101,522; among the 8,354 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$127K), it’s healthier than 75%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.3% of Eliot adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
13 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Eliot adults…
Eliot runs below ME on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Eliot
No hospital or community health center in Eliot 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 Eliot; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Eliot adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How Eliot adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
3 in 10 Eliot 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.
Eliot and the towns around it
Eliot’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eliot | A− | 32.4% | 10% | 12.1% | ZIP 03903 |
| South Berwick | A | 31.8% | 8.5% | 11.4% | ZIP 03908 |
| South Eliot | — | — | — | — | |
| Kittery | A− | 31.7% | 10.2% | 11.5% | ZIP codes |
| York | A− | 31.3% | 10.8% | 10.6% | ZIP codes |
South Eliot: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Eliot adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Eliot
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Eliot is better than Maine on 12 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Eliot’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Eliot | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16%13.8–18.2 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%10.9–14 | 14.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.1–17.7 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.4%28.4–36.3 | 32.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10%8.7–11.3 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.1%32.3–37.9 | 35.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.7%34.9–40.6 | 37.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.7%29.1–34.1 | 32% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.6%11.3–13.9 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%10–11.9 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6–7.6 | 7.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.1%6.1–8.2 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9%7.4–10.8 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.1%10.1–14.4 | 14.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.5%16.6–22.3 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%14.7–19.3 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.4%25.9–33 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%4.8–7.4 | 7.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.8%79.3–84.1 | 81.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.8%68.2–73.4 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.7%88.2–91.2 | 87.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.5%75.9–81 | 76.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.3%70–76.4 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.9%77.2–85.8 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.7%22.1–27.3 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.2%26.1–32.3 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.7%18.2–23.4 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.4%6–8.9 | 10.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.7%6.3–9.1 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%4.8–6.7 | 7.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%5–6.7 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.3%7.5–11.3 | 14.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.4%26.1–32.5 | 32.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.9%10.2–13.6 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.8%12–15.5 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.8–8.5 | 8.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3–3.9 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.5%5.6–7.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.5–3.3 | 3.5% | 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 Maine figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Eliot
Is Eliot a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Eliot is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #27 of 143 in Maine. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 75%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Eliot?
CDC estimates 32.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.4% and 36.3%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Eliot?
Portsmouth Regional Hospital in Portsmouth, 5.9 miles in a straight line from Eliot’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Eliot have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.8–7.4%), against 7.8% across Maine.
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 Eliot 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 Eliot.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Maine 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.