German Presbyterian Church and Hortonville Cemetery · Photo: Vonsky87 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Delaware is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns
Delaware differs from New York on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 12723, 12748, 12750, 12726. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Delaware
Cancer and arthritis run high in Delaware
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 7.7% across New York. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.4%), vs 24% across New York. Conditions ↓
Fewer Delaware adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below New York. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Delaware adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (29% vs 34.2%) and lack of emotional support (21% vs 26.4%) both run below New York. Mind & connection ↓
Delaware is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its A− tops all five graded neighbors. The closest is Cochecton (A−). 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 York figure falls outside Delaware’s likely range; Delaware’s figures come from ZIP codes 12723, 12748, 12750, 12726, 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 Delaware’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Delaware is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 91% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 68%.
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). Delaware’s median household income is $96,146; among the 9,157 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$120K), it’s healthier than 86%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Delaware adults…
Delaware runs above NY on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8% of Delaware adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
How Delaware adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Delaware does better than New York.
3 in 10 Delaware 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.
Delaware and the towns around it
Delaware has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | A− | 28.2% | 10.6% | 10.5% | ZIP codes |
| Callicoon | B+ | 29.6% | 11.5% | 12.7% | ZIP codes |
| Fremont | B+ | 30.3% | 11.8% | 12.6% | ZIP codes |
| Cochecton | A− | 29.3% | 11.3% | 12% | ZIP codes |
| Callicoon | — | — | — | — | |
| Bethel | B+ | 30.4% | 11.7% | 12.6% | ZIP codes |
| Jeffersonville | — | — | — | — |
Callicoon and Jeffersonville: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Delaware
1 hospital in Delaware, 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 Delaware; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
12 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Delaware adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Delaware adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Delaware
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Delaware is better than New York on 9 and worse on 3; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Delaware’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Delaware | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.2%12.9–17.7 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%10.9–14.4 | 12.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12–15.6 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.2%22.1–35 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.6%9.1–12.3 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.3%31.2–39.4 | 32.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.9%34.6–43.2 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.4%26.1–32.9 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.1–11.6 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%10–12.2 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6.2–7.9 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.5%5.5–7.7 | 6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3–3.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.5%10.4–15 | 12.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%8.5–12.7 | 11.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.9%18.9–27.3 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%13–18.7 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.9%32.9–45.3 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.9%3.9–6.2 | 7.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.3%79.3–85.1 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.1%61.8–68.3 | 63.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.3%90–92.5 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.4%76.5–81.9 | 77.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.5%66.1–74.9 | 66.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.4%69.7–82.6 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.7%15.9–21.8 | 17.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29%24.5–34.1 | 34.2% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21%17.9–24.7 | 26.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.7%7.9–12 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.7%7.2–10.3 | 14.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.4–6.2 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.8%4.9–6.8 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8%6.4–9.9 | 14.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.9%22.1–30.1 | 27.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.7%10.7–14.8 | 13.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.5%9–12.1 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.4–4.5 | 5.2% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.6%5.7–7.7 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.8–3.7 | 3.8% | 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 New York figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Delaware
Is Delaware a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Delaware is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Delaware?
CDC estimates 28.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.1% and 35%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Delaware?
Garnet Health Medical Center Catskills in Callicoon, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Delaware’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Delaware have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.9–6.2%), against 7.9% across New York.
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 Delaware 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 Delaware.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New York 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.