Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Elizabeth as a whole is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns
Elizabeth differs from New Jersey on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 22 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elizabeth. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elizabeth
3 in 10 working-age adults in Elizabeth have no health insurance
28.1% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 11.3% across New Jersey. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Elizabeth
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (31.6%), more than twice the New Jersey rate. Housing insecurity (26.4% vs 12.3%) and utility shut-off threats (14.2% vs 7%) are higher too. 19.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 8.4% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Elizabeth
52.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 65.9% across New Jersey. Among those 65 and older, 15.7% have lost all their teeth (New Jersey 9.6%). Checkups ↓
Health varies a lot right around Elizabeth
Grades next door run from Roselle Park (A) to Newark (D). Elizabeth is a C. 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 New Jersey figure falls outside Elizabeth’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Elizabeth’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elizabeth is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns, #441 of 468 in New Jersey. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 60% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Elizabeth’s median household income is $66,555; among the 10,144 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 31%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Most New Jersey towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Elizabeth is healthier than 6% of graded towns, against 26% nationally.
Where Elizabeth compares well: arthritis, 17.7% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.4% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 141,675 residents, Elizabeth is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Keeping up with care
Share of Elizabeth adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Jersey.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.7% of Elizabeth adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.4% across New Jersey.
Elizabeth and the towns around it
Elizabeth’s Health Grade ranks 8th of 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth | C | 34.8% | 13.7% | 15% | CDC place |
| Union Township | A− | 28% | 10.8% | 10.4% | ZIP codes |
| Newark | D | 35.9% | 14.6% | 18.2% | CDC place |
| Bayonne | B+ | 29.1% | 10.6% | 12.1% | CDC place |
| Linden | B | 31.5% | 11.8% | 12.8% | CDC place |
| Hillside Township | B− | 33.6% | 13.2% | 13.1% | ZIP 07205 |
| Roselle Park | A | 26.9% | 9.3% | 9.8% | CDC place |
| Roselle | B− | 33.6% | 13% | 12.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Elizabeth adults…
Elizabeth runs below NJ on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Elizabeth residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across New Jersey. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Elizabeth
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Elizabeth, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Elizabeth; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with New Jersey
Share of adults, with the New Jersey figure marked.
3.1 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
How Elizabeth adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Elizabeth runs above New Jersey.
4 in 10 Elizabeth 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elizabeth adults live with a disability (New Jersey 24.8%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elizabeth
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elizabeth is better than New Jersey on 2 and worse on 22; on the rest, the New Jersey figure falls inside Elizabeth’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elizabeth | NJ | U.S. | vs NJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.2%24.6–30 | 17.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.2–17.7 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.9–19.9 | 14.7% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.8%30–39.9 | 28.9% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.7%12.2–15.5 | 10.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.1%30–36.3 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.3%33.1–39.7 | 39.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 17.7%15.7–19.9 | 22.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.2%8.2–10.4 | 8.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.4%4–4.9 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.2–3.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.7%12.9–18.8 | 9.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15%13.1–17.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35.2%31.3–39.4 | 24.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.6–17.5 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.7%39.1–48.5 | 37.5% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 28.1%25.5–31 | 11.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.2%69.8–76.5 | 78% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.4%49.1–55.8 | 65.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.5%82.7–86.2 | 89.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.2%70.3–76.1 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 53.8%49.1–58.4 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.6%63.3–77.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 14.8%12.7–17.2 | 15.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.2%33.4–41.1 | 32.4% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.4%28.1–34.8 | 24% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31.6%28.6–34.7 | 14.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 26.4%23.8–29.2 | 12.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.2%12.6–16 | 7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.6%13.1–16.1 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.7%17.5–22.2 | 8.4% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.9%28.5–35.6 | 24.8% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.6%13–16.5 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.7%15–18.6 | 11.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.7%5.1–6.4 | 5.7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.8%8.1–9.5 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.7–10.6 | 6.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.4%5–5.9 | 3.3% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 New Jersey figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Elizabeth
Is Elizabeth a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elizabeth is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #441 of 468 in New Jersey. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 31%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elizabeth?
CDC estimates 34.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 39.9%, against 28.9% across New Jersey and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elizabeth?
Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, 0.0 miles in a straight line from Elizabeth’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Elizabeth have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 28.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 25.5–31%), against 11.3% across New Jersey.
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 Elizabeth more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Elizabeth.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New Jersey 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.