Health · Elgin

Elgin, SC health

Elgin differs from South Carolina on 5 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (10.2% vs 13.9%) and fewer adults who have had a stroke (3.3% vs 3.9%).

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

Elgin’s Health Grade: B

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Elgin is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns and 79% of South Carolina towns.

B+Self-rated healthBPhysical distressBMental distressBObesityB-DiabetesBSmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 61%
Less healthyHealthier
South Carolina towns we grade (266)Healthier than 79%
Towns with similar incomes, $69K–$115K (9,001)Healthier than 52%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Elgin 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 South Carolina 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 Elgin 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. Elgin 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 Elgin compares with South Carolina

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 Elgin adults…

35 of every 100 Elgin adults have high blood pressure
South Carolina: 39 in 100 · too close to call · margin 31.5–39.2%

Bars show Elgin; the black tick is South Carolina. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Elgin, betterElgin, worseToo close to callSouth Carolina
Get no exerciseshare of adults 23.9% Elgin
SC 25.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 37.6% Elgin
SC 35.8%
Binge drinkshare of adults 17% Elgin
SC 15.7%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 13.7% Elgin
SC 13.3%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Elgin adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.

79%
Yearly checkup
SC 81%
65%
Dentist visit
SC 63%
87%
Cholesterol check
SC 87%
67%
Colon screening
SC 69%
78%
Mammogram
SC 78%
78%
Taking BP meds
SC 80%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Elgin 10.6% · South Carolina 1 in 8 (11.8%)
Mind & connection

How Elgin adults are doing

1 in 3Elgin adults feel lonely
31.6% · South Carolina 31.7% · too close to call
1 in 4Elgin adults have been diagnosed with depression
23% · South Carolina 22.3% · too close to call
1 in 4Elgin adults lack social or emotional support
24.2% · South Carolina 23.6% · too close to call
1 in 6Elgin adults are in frequent mental distress
16.8% · South Carolina 16.4% · 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
Elgin adults worry about having enough food
15% · SC 17.4% · about the same
1 in 8
Elgin adults worry about keeping their housing
12.1% · SC 13.3% · about the same
1 in 13
Elgin adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.8% · SC 8.9% · about the same
1 in 13
Elgin adults lack reliable transportation
7.5% · SC 8.6% · better

8.3% of Elgin adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.

Disability

Living with a disability

28.3%

of Elgin adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs13%
Thinking or memory14.2%
Hearing6.2%
Errands alone7.8%
Vision4.6%
Dressing or bathing3.6%

Black tick: South Carolina. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Elgin

No hospital or community health center in Elgin itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERKershawhealthCamden · 13 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyColumbia Sc VA Medical Center★★★★★ · 16.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSandhills Medical Foundaton JeffersonLugoff · 7.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
7.1 mi
Sandhills Medical Foundaton Jefferson
2 sites · nearest in Lugoff
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
9.6 mi
Genehis Health Care
2 sites · nearest in Columbia
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
13 mi
Kershawhealth
Camden · ★★★★★
ER
15 mi
Prisma Health Richland Hospital
Columbia · ★★★★★
ER
16.3 mi
Columbia Sc VA Medical Center
Columbia · ★★★★★
ERVA
16.5 mi
Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown
Columbia · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careElgin's county is a federal shortage area.Kershaw County · need score 9 of 25
! Dental careElgin's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Kershaw County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthElgin's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA Santee/Wateree · need score 15 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 Elgin. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Elgin
MeasureElginMarginSouth Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure35.3%31.5–39.2%38.5%about the same
High cholesterol38.3%34.2–42.4%38.1%about the same
Obesity34.7%28.3–41.5%35.8%about the same
Arthritis26.5%23.5–29.6%28.5%about the same
Depression23%19.6–26.4%22.3%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)10.2%8.3–12.3%13.9%better
Asthma9.6%8.5–10.9%9.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8.3%7.5–9.1%8.6%about the same
Diabetes12%10.5–13.6%13.9%better
COPD6.6%5.8–7.5%7.5%about the same
Heart disease5.8%5.2–6.4%6.8%better
Stroke3.3%3–3.6%3.9%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes13.7%11.7–15.8%13.3%about the same
Binge drink17%14–20.2%15.7%about the same
Get no exercise23.9%20.3–27.7%25.8%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours37.6%31.8–43.8%35.8%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79.3%75.8–82.5%80.6%about the same
Dentist visit64.9%61.4–68.2%63.1%about the same
Cholesterol check86.5%84.6–88.3%86.9%about the same
Colon screening66.5%61.8–71%69.3%about the same
Mammogram78.3%71.7–84.2%77.6%about the same
Taking BP meds77.7%74.7–80.4%80.2%about the same
No health insurance10.6%8.9–12.5%11.8%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely31.6%27–36.4%31.7%about the same
Lack emotional support24.2%20.7–27.6%23.6%about the same
Frequent mental distress16.8%14.8–18.8%16.4%about the same
Fair or poor health17.7%15.5–20.3%20.1%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.4%11.9–15.1%14%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity15%12.7–17.5%17.4%about the same
Housing insecurity12.1%10.3–13.9%13.3%about the same
Utility shut-off threat7.8%6.7–8.9%8.9%about the same
No reliable transportation7.5%6.5–8.5%8.6%better
Receive SNAP8.3%6.8–9.8%10.5%
Disability
Any disability28.3%24.6–32.1%31.5%
Walking or climbing stairs13%11.3–14.9%15.4%
Thinking or memory14.2%12.6–16%14.3%
Hearing6.2%5.5–6.9%7%
Vision4.6%4.2–5.2%5.6%
Dressing or bathing3.6%3.3–4%4.3%
Errands alone7.8%6.9–8.8%8.7%
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 Elgin door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the South Carolina figure falls inside it, we don't call Elgin better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Elgin directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The South Carolina 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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