Health · Dagsboro
Dagsboro, DE health
On most measures Dagsboro looks like Delaware as a whole. It has more adults seeing a dentist (66.7% vs 63.1%). Where it trails the state: more smokers (16.1% vs 12.6%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for DagsboroTownTapestry Health GradeNew
B−
Dagsboro’s Health Grade: B−
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Dagsboro is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, and than 76% of towns with similar incomes.
B-Self-rated healthB-Physical distressB+Mental distressB+ObesityB-DiabetesCSmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 51%
Less healthyHealthier
Delaware towns we grade (55)Healthier than 52%
Towns with similar incomes, $45K–$76K (8,352)Healthier than 76%
Better than its income would suggest. Dagsboro is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is B−.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Dagsboro could be anywhere from C− to A−.
How the Health Grade works
- Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Delaware ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Dagsboro with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
- Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Dagsboro uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card
How Dagsboro compares with Delaware
Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.
Chronic conditions
33.9% have obesity
0 better12 close0 worse
Habits
27.9% get no exercise
0 better3 close1 worse
Care & screenings
80.5% had a checkup
1 better6 close0 worse
Mind & connection
31.8% feel lonely
0 better5 close0 worse
Everyday needs
13.9% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
30.7% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Dagsboro adults…
38 of every 100 Dagsboro adults have high blood pressure
Delaware: 38 in 100 · too close to call · margin 34.4–41.6%
Bars show Dagsboro; the black tick is Delaware. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Dagsboro, betterDagsboro, worseToo close to callDelaware
Get no exerciseshare of adults
27.9% Dagsboro
DE 27.2%
DE 27.2%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
32.5% Dagsboro
DE 35.7%
DE 35.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults
15% Dagsboro
DE 14.2%
DE 14.2%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
16.1% Dagsboro
DE 12.6%
DE 12.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Dagsboro adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Delaware.
Yearly checkup
DE 81%Dentist visit
DE 63%Cholesterol check
DE 88%Colon screening
DE 67%Mammogram
DE 79%Taking BP meds
DE 78%1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Dagsboro 9.7% · Delaware 1 in 11 (9%)
Mind & connection
How Dagsboro adults are doing
1 in 3Dagsboro adults feel lonely
31.8% · Delaware 31.7% · too close to call
1 in 5Dagsboro adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.1% · Delaware 21.1% · too close to call
1 in 5Dagsboro adults lack social or emotional support
21.6% · Delaware 21.6% · too close to call
1 in 6Dagsboro adults are in frequent mental distress
16.1% · Delaware 15.4% · too close to call
Everyday needs
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
1 in 7
Dagsboro adults worry about having enough food
13.9% · DE 13.9% · about the same
1 in 9
Dagsboro adults worry about keeping their housing
10.7% · DE 11.6% · about the same
1 in 15
Dagsboro adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.8% · DE 7.4% · about the same
1 in 14
Dagsboro adults lack reliable transportation
7.2% · DE 7.7% · about the same
11.5% of Dagsboro adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Delaware.
Disability
Living with a disability
30.7%
of Dagsboro adults live with a disability (Delaware 30.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs14.5%
Thinking or memory13.9%
Hearing7.2%
Errands alone8.4%
Vision4.9%
Dressing or bathing3.8%
Black tick: Delaware. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Dagsboro
No hospital or community health center in Dagsboro itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERAtlantic General HospitalBerlin · 14.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careLa Red Health CenterGeorgetown · 13.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
13.6 mi
La Red Health Center
2 sites · nearest in Georgetown
La Red Health Center Main CampusGeorgetown · 13.6 mi
Western Sussex Community Health CenterSeaford · 20.8 mi
14.2 mi
Three Lower Counties Community Services
6 sites · nearest in Berlin
Chc - Berlin 9958Berlin · 14.2 mi
Chc - Berlin 10344Berlin · 14.5 mi
Chc - WinterplaceSalisbury · 19.2 mi
Chc - Woodbrooke AdultSalisbury · 20.8 mi
Chc - Pmd PedsSalisbury · 20.8 mi
Chc - Woodbrooke Ob/GynSalisbury · 20.9 mi
Nothing matches.
! Primary careDagsboro's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME - Sussex County · need score 14 of 25
! Dental careDagsboro's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME - Sussex County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthDagsboro's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME - Sussex County · need score 16 of 25
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 Dagsboro. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Dagsboro
| Measure | Dagsboro | Margin | Delaware | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 38% | 34.4–41.6% | 38.1% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 44.1% | 40.2–47.9% | 41.2% | about the same |
| Obesity | 33.9% | 28–39.8% | 35.3% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 29.3% | 26.3–32.3% | 28.4% | about the same |
| Depression | 22.1% | 19–25.4% | 21.1% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 12.5% | 10.4–15% | 12.7% | about the same |
| Asthma | 10.9% | 9.6–12.3% | 10.8% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 9.1% | 8.3–10.1% | 9.1% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 12% | 10.4–13.7% | 13.1% | about the same |
| COPD | 8.2% | 6.8–9.6% | 7.1% | about the same |
| Heart disease | 7.3% | 6.4–8.2% | 6.9% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.7% | 3.3–4.2% | 3.7% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.1% | 13.3–19.1% | 12.6% | worse |
| Binge drink | 15% | 12.6–17.5% | 14.2% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 27.9% | 23.3–32.5% | 27.2% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5% | 28.2–37.5% | 35.7% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 80.5% | 77.2–83.3% | 80.9% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 66.7% | 63.4–70.1% | 63.1% | better |
| Cholesterol check | 86.8% | 84.6–88.8% | 87.9% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 70.5% | 66.6–74.5% | 67.2% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 78.4% | 72.8–83.5% | 78.5% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 79.4% | 76.7–81.8% | 78.1% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 9.7% | 7.7–12% | 9% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 31.8% | 27.9–35.9% | 31.7% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 21.6% | 18.4–25% | 21.6% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 16.1% | 14–18.2% | 15.4% | about the same |
| Fair or poor health | 19.5% | 16.6–22.6% | 18.8% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 14.3% | 12.5–16.3% | 13.3% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 13.9% | 11.5–16.5% | 13.9% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 10.7% | 8.9–12.5% | 11.6% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 6.8% | 5.8–8% | 7.4% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 7.2% | 6.2–8.4% | 7.7% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 11.5% | 9.3–14% | 11.7% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.7% | 26.6–34.8% | 30.6% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 14.5% | 12.4–16.8% | 14.8% | |
| Thinking or memory | 13.9% | 11.7–15.9% | 13% | |
| Hearing | 7.2% | 6.3–8.2% | 6.7% | |
| Vision | 4.9% | 4.2–5.6% | 4.9% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.8% | 3.3–4.4% | 3.7% | |
| Errands alone | 8.4% | 7.2–9.7% | 7.8% | |
About these numbers
How CDC estimates town health
They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Dagsboro door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Delaware figure falls inside it, we don't call Dagsboro better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Dagsboro directly, so these are its own figures.
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Delaware figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.