Health · Elsa

Elsa, TX health

Elsa differs from Texas on 10 of 33 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (4.7% vs 6.1%) and fewer adults with COPD (4.8% vs 5.7%). Where it trails the state: more uninsured adults (32.5% vs 19.1%).

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

Elsa’s Health Grade: C

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Elsa is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns, and than 74% of towns with similar incomes.

DSelf-rated healthCPhysical distressBMental distressDObesityDDiabetesA-SmokingDExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 25%
Less healthyHealthier
Texas towns we grade (1,011)Healthier than 38%
Towns with similar incomes, $32K–$53K (2,961)Healthier than 74%

Better than its income would suggest. Elsa is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Elsa could be anywhere from D to C+.
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 Texas 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 Elsa 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. Elsa 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 Elsa compares with Texas

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 Elsa adults…

33 of every 100 Elsa adults have high blood pressure
Texas: 33 in 100 · too close to call · margin 30.5–36.1%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Elsa, betterElsa, worseToo close to callTexas
Get no exerciseshare of adults 34.7% Elsa
TX 27.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 39% Elsa
TX 38.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.7% Elsa
TX 17%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 10.7% Elsa
TX 12.5%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

74%
Yearly checkup
TX 74%
48%
Dentist visit
TX 55%
84%
Cholesterol check
TX 85%
55%
Colon screening
TX 58%
72%
Mammogram
TX 74%
76%
Taking BP meds
TX 74%
1 in 3
working-age adults has no health insurance
Elsa 32.5% · Texas 1 in 5 (19.1%)
Mind & connection

How Elsa adults are doing

1 in 5Elsa adults have been diagnosed with depression
18.9% · Texas 21.2% · too close to call
1 in 6Elsa adults are in frequent mental distress
16.6% · Texas 16.9% · too close to call
Disability

Living with a disability

36.3%

of Elsa adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs18%
Thinking or memory16.9%
Hearing7.6%
Errands alone9.6%
Vision9.7%
Dressing or bathing5.6%

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

Getting care

Care in and near Elsa

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

HNearest ERKnapp Medical CenterWeslaco · 10.1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySouth Texas Health System★★★★★ · 12 miDirections →
+Low-cost careNuestra Clinica Del ValleEdcouch · 3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
3 mi
Nuestra Clinica Del Valle
7 sites · nearest in Edcouch
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
10.1 mi
Knapp Medical Center
Weslaco · ★★★★★
ER
11.8 mi
Driscoll Children's Hospital Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg · not rated
ERChildren's
12 mi
South Texas Health System
Edinburg · ★★★★★
ER
12.9 mi
Cornerstone Regional Hospital
Edinburg · not rated
ER
17.4 mi
Su Clinica - Raymondville
Raymondville · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
! Primary carePart of Elsa is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, East SA - Hidalgo County · need score 18 of 25
! Dental carePart of Elsa is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, East SA - Hidalgo County · need score 22 of 25
! Mental healthElsa's county is a federal shortage area.MHCA 38 - Tropical Texas · need score 14 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 Elsa. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 33 measures for Elsa
MeasureElsaMarginTexas
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure33.4%30.5–36.1%33.1%about the same
High cholesterol35.9%32.9–39%35.1%about the same
Obesity43.1%38.7–47.6%35.6%worse
Arthritis20.7%18.6–22.7%21.6%about the same
Depression18.9%16.5–21.6%21.2%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)13.4%11.1–16.1%12.5%about the same
Asthma8.3%7.4–9.3%9.5%better
Cancer (not skin)4.7%4.2–5.2%6.1%better
Diabetes17.3%15.5–19.2%12.7%worse
COPD4.8%4.2–5.5%5.7%better
Heart disease6.2%5.5–6.9%5.6%about the same
Stroke3.4%3.1–3.8%3.2%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes10.7%9–12.5%12.5%about the same
Binge drink16.7%14.4–19.2%17%about the same
Get no exercise34.7%30.4–39%27.8%worse
Sleep under 7 hours39%34.8–43.3%38.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup73.5%70.4–76.3%73.8%about the same
Dentist visit48.4%45.1–51.8%54.6%worse
Cholesterol check83.7%81.3–85.8%84.6%about the same
Colon screening55.1%50.6–59.5%57.9%about the same
Mammogram71.7%65.1–77.8%74.1%about the same
Taking BP meds76%73.5–78.2%74.1%about the same
No health insurance32.5%27.7–37.9%19.1%worse
Mind & connection
Frequent mental distress16.6%14.7–18.5%16.9%about the same
Fair or poor health29.6%26.2–33.2%21.8%worse
Frequent physical distress15.3%13.6–17.1%13.2%worse
Disability
Any disability36.3%32.5–40.3%30.9%
Walking or climbing stairs18%15.8–20.2%14%
Thinking or memory16.9%14.7–19.3%15.1%
Hearing7.6%6.7–8.4%6.3%
Vision9.7%8.6–10.9%6.1%
Dressing or bathing5.6%4.9–6.3%4%
Errands alone9.6%8.4–11%8.2%
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 Elsa door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Texas figure falls inside it, we don't call Elsa better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Elsa directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Texas 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01