Elon College Historic District · Photo: MPD01605 from Sterling, Virginia, United States, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Elon is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Elon differs from North Carolina on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elon. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elon
Diabetes and COPD are less common in Elon
Elon runs below North Carolina on nine chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (6.6% vs 12%), COPD (4.6% vs 7.1%) and high blood pressure (23.9% vs 36.8%). A young population is part of it: only 13% of residents are 65 or older (North Carolina 17%). Conditions ↓
Mental distress runs high in Elon
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.1%), vs 16.5% across North Carolina. Loneliness is above the state too: 38.2%, vs 32.5% across North Carolina. Mind & connection ↓
Elon is an active town
Only 17.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
Elon is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its A tops all three graded neighbors. The closest is Gibsonville (B+). Around town ↓
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 North Carolina figure falls outside Elon’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Elon’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elon is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #47 of 289 in North Carolina. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Elon’s median household income is $84,773; among the 10,413 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$106K), it’s healthier than 94%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Elon adults…
Elon runs below NC on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
How Elon adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Elon runs above North Carolina.
2 in 5 Elon 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
0.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Elon and the towns around it
Elon has the best Health Grade of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elon | A | 27.8% | 6.6% | 7.9% | CDC place |
| Burlington | C | 40.8% | 14.1% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Glen Raven | C− | 41.5% | 13% | 18% | CDC place |
| Gibsonville | B+ | 36.7% | 11.1% | 12.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Elon
No hospital or community health center in Elon 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 Elon; ≈ 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 Elon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.5% of Elon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elon adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elon
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elon is better than North Carolina on 18 and worse on 4; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Elon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elon | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.6%11.3–16.2 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.7%8.2–11.2 | 12.7% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.1%16.8–23.1 | 16.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.8%21.4–34.7 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 6.6%5.6–7.6 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 23.9%20.9–26.8 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 26.4%23.1–29.7 | 35.6% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 18.7%16.5–20.9 | 26.9% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.6–12.6 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.5%5.9–7.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.6%4–5.2 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.6%3.9–5.4 | 7.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.1–2.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.1%9–13.5 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.9%6.3–9.5 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.2%13.6–20.9 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%13.9–20.5 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.1%24.3–35.9 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.8%6.1–10.4 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.5%72.4–80.3 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.6%65.1–71.8 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.8%75.8–83.2 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.1%69–73.1 | 76.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.1%65.3–74.3 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.1%72.1–84.7 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28%23.7–32.3 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.2%32.6–44.1 | 32.5% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.5%16.6–24.4 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.2%8.5–14.6 | 15.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.2%6.5–10.1 | 12.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.2–6.2 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8%6.4–9.9 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.5%5.7–9.9 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.2%25.2–35.2 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9%7.6–10.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%14–20.5 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.4–7 | 7.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.4–4.6 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%6.7–9.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.1–2.7 | 4% | 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 North Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Elon
Is Elon a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elon is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #47 of 289 in North Carolina. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elon?
CDC estimates 27.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.4% and 34.7%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elon?
Alamance Regional Medical Center in Burlington, 2.9 miles in a straight line from Elon’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Elon have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–10.4%), against 10.4% across North Carolina.
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 Elon 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 Elon.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina 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.