Mount Carmel A.M.E. Zion Campground · Photo: Bill Fitzpatrick · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Elgin is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns
Elgin beats South Carolina on 1 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Elgin. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Elgin
What’s behind Elgin’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elgin is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 55% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 25%).
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). Elgin’s median household income is $77,994; among the 10,829 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($58K–$97K), it’s healthier than 28%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Elgin adults…
Elgin runs below SC on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Elgin is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across South Carolina. Many conditions rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Elgin as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Elgin
No hospital or community health center in Elgin 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 Elgin; ≈ 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 South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Elgin adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Elgin adults are doing
About the same as South Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Elgin 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.
10.7% of Elgin adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Elgin and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elgin | C | 37.4% | 13.8% | 14.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Elgin adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Elgin
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Elgin is better than South Carolina on 1 and worse on 0; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Elgin’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Elgin | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.4%18.4–24.4 | 20.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.3–17.1 | 14% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.9–20.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.4%31.9–43.3 | 35.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.8%12.1–15.6 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36%32.6–39.6 | 38.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.1%35.5–42.8 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.9%26.2–31.9 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.2%9–11.5 | 9.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.6–9.3 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.8–7.4 | 6.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.9%6.7–9.1 | 7.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 3.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.3%8.4–12.4 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.3%12–16.7 | 13.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.3%24.2–32.6 | 25.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%12.9–18.5 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.8%33.8–44 | 35.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.8%10.6–15.5 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.1%76.9–83.1 | 80.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.6%60.2–66.8 | 63.1% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.2%84.2–88.1 | 86.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.7%77–82.1 | 80.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.2%63.8–72.4 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.8%72.7–84 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.6%20.4–27.1 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.8%29.5–38.4 | 31.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.3%22.6–30.1 | 23.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.9%15.8–22.2 | 17.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.5%12.2–16.8 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.1%7.8–10.5 | 8.9% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.1%7.8–10.5 | 8.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.7%8.8–12.9 | 10.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.7%29.6–38 | 31.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.1%13.9–18.3 | 15.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.9%13.9–18.1 | 14.3% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6.2–7.9 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.3–10.9 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%3.9–5.1 | 4.3% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 South Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Elgin
Is Elgin a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Elgin is healthier than 34% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 28%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Elgin?
CDC estimates 37.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.9% and 43.3%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Elgin?
MUSC Health Lancaster Medical Center in Lancaster, 5.1 miles in a straight line from Elgin’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Elgin have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.6–15.5%), against 11.8% across South 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 Elgin 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 Elgin.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The South 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.