Health · Lewes

Lewes, DE health

Lewes differs from Delaware on 25 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing housing insecurity (4.9% vs 11.6%) and fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (3.5% vs 7.4%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (16.4% vs 9.1%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Lewes
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Lewes’s Health Grade: B+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Lewes is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns and 76% of Delaware towns.

B+Self-rated healthBPhysical distressA+Mental distressA-ObesityC-DiabetesASmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 72%
Less healthyHealthier
Delaware towns we grade (55)Healthier than 76%
Towns with similar incomes, $72K–$120K (8,436)Healthier than 65%

About what its income would suggest. Lewes does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Lewes could be anywhere from B− 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 Lewes 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. Lewes 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 Lewes 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

Out of every 100 Lewes adults…

48 of every 100 Lewes adults have high blood pressure
Delaware: 38 in 100 · worse · margin 43.5–51.7%

Bars show Lewes; the black tick is Delaware. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Lewes, betterLewes, worseToo close to callDelaware
Get no exerciseshare of adults 24.3% Lewes
DE 27.2%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 26.7% Lewes
DE 35.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 10.3% Lewes
DE 14.2%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 9.8% Lewes
DE 12.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Lewes adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Delaware.

88%
Yearly checkup
DE 81%
71%
Dentist visit
DE 63%
94%
Cholesterol check
DE 88%
77%
Colon screening
DE 67%
82%
Mammogram
DE 79%
88%
Taking BP meds
DE 78%
1 in 18
working-age adults has no health insurance
Lewes 5.7% · Delaware 1 in 11 (9%)
Mind & connection

How Lewes adults are doing

1 in 4Lewes adults feel lonely
25.2% · Delaware 31.7% · better
1 in 5Lewes adults have been diagnosed with depression
18.3% · Delaware 21.1% · too close to call
1 in 6Lewes adults lack social or emotional support
15.4% · Delaware 21.6% · better
1 in 10Lewes adults are in frequent mental distress
10.5% · Delaware 15.4% · better
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 14
Lewes adults worry about having enough food
7% · DE 13.9% · better
1 in 20
Lewes adults worry about keeping their housing
4.9% · DE 11.6% · better
1 in 29
Lewes adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
3.5% · DE 7.4% · better
1 in 25
Lewes adults lack reliable transportation
4% · DE 7.7% · better

5.7% of Lewes adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Delaware.

Disability

Living with a disability

30.9%

of Lewes adults live with a disability (Delaware 30.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs16.6%
Thinking or memory9.1%
Hearing10.7%
Errands alone7%
Vision4.4%
Dressing or bathing3.5%

Black tick: Delaware. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Lewes

1 hospital in Lewes, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERBeebe Medical CenterLewes · 0.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyBayhealth Hospital, Sussex Campus★★★★★ · 16.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careLa Red Health CenterGeorgetown · 15.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.5 mi
Beebe Medical Center
Lewes · ★★★★★
ERIn Lewes
15.1 mi
La Red Health Center
3 sites · nearest in Georgetown
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
16.4 mi
Bayhealth Hospital, Sussex Campus
Milford · ★★★★★
ER
22.8 mi
Completecare Medical & Dental Professionals
Wildwood · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
26.6 mi
Tidalhealth Nanticoke
Seaford · ★★★★★
ER
28.1 mi
Cape Regional Medical Center
Cape May Court House · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careLewes's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME - Sussex County · need score 14 of 25
! Dental careLewes's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME - Sussex County · need score 16 of 25
! Mental healthLewes'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 Lewes. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Lewes
MeasureLewesMarginDelaware
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure47.7%43.5–51.7%38.1%worse
High cholesterol53.4%49.2–57.5%41.2%worse
Obesity29.6%24.3–35.2%35.3%better
Arthritis40%36.2–43.8%28.4%worse
Depression18.3%15.6–21.2%21.1%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)7.4%6.1–9.1%12.7%better
Asthma9.8%8.7–11.1%10.8%about the same
Cancer (not skin)16.4%15–18%9.1%worse
Diabetes14.2%12.3–16.4%13.1%about the same
COPD8.7%7.2–10.6%7.1%worse
Heart disease10.5%9.2–11.9%6.9%worse
Stroke4.7%4.2–5.4%3.7%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes9.8%7.9–12%12.6%better
Binge drink10.3%8.7–12.1%14.2%better
Get no exercise24.3%20.1–28.9%27.2%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours26.7%22.9–31.3%35.7%better
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup87.7%85.4–89.7%80.9%better
Dentist visit71%68.1–74.1%63.1%better
Cholesterol check93.9%92.9–94.8%87.9%better
Colon screening76.5%72.9–80.3%67.2%better
Mammogram81.6%76.8–86.2%78.5%about the same
Taking BP meds87.6%85.3–89.5%78.1%better
No health insurance5.7%4.4–7.3%9%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely25.2%21.9–28.7%31.7%better
Lack emotional support15.4%13–18%21.6%better
Frequent mental distress10.5%9.1–11.9%15.4%better
Fair or poor health16.9%14.3–20%18.8%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.8%12–15.9%13.3%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity7%5.5–8.6%13.9%better
Housing insecurity4.9%4–5.9%11.6%better
Utility shut-off threat3.5%2.9–4.1%7.4%better
No reliable transportation4%3.4–4.7%7.7%better
Receive SNAP5.7%4.3–7.2%11.7%
Disability
Any disability30.9%26.8–35.3%30.6%
Walking or climbing stairs16.6%14.2–19.7%14.8%
Thinking or memory9.1%7.7–10.6%13%
Hearing10.7%9.3–12.1%6.7%
Vision4.4%3.8–5.2%4.9%
Dressing or bathing3.5%3–4.2%3.7%
Errands alone7%5.9–8.3%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 Lewes door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Delaware figure falls inside it, we don't call Lewes better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Lewes 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.

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