Monocacy National Battlefield · Photo: Acroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Ballenger Creek is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Ballenger Creek differs from Maryland on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ballenger Creek. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ballenger Creek
What’s behind Ballenger Creek’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ballenger Creek is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #96 of 261 in Maryland. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 94% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 48%).
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). Ballenger Creek’s median household income is $108,944; among the 7,298 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($82K–$136K), it’s healthier than 67%, about where its income would put it.
Most Maryland towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Ballenger Creek is healthier than 63% of graded towns, against 80% nationally.
Out of every 100 Ballenger Creek adults…
Ballenger Creek runs below MD on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Ballenger Creek residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Maryland. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Ballenger Creek
No hospital or community health center in Ballenger Creek 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 Ballenger Creek; ≈ 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 Maryland
Share of adults, with the Maryland figure marked.
3.8 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Ballenger Creek adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
How Ballenger Creek adults are doing
About the same as Maryland on each measure.
1 in 3 Ballenger Creek 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.
10.2% of Ballenger Creek adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Ballenger Creek and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballenger Creek | A− | 36.4% | 10.3% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Frederick | A− | 36.4% | 10.9% | 9.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ballenger Creek adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ballenger Creek
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ballenger Creek is better than Maryland on 13 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Ballenger Creek’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ballenger Creek | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.4%13.8–17 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.3%9.3–11.4 | 12% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.5–17.8 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.4%32.6–40 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.3%9.1–11.3 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.1%29.6–34.3 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%33.3–38.4 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.6%20.7–24.3 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.9–10.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%6–7.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.6%4.2–5 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.2–5.3 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.7%6.3–9.2 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.5%8.2–10.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.9%18.5–23.3 | 23.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%13.5–17.7 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.7%34.4–41.2 | 37.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.4%7.3–9.6 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.5%74.9–79.9 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.1%62.5–67.7 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.4%87–89.7 | 89.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.8%70.1–75.2 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.3%62–68.7 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.9%71–80.5 | 80.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.9%18.7–23.2 | 19.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.4%30.1–36.8 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%21.6–27 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.2%11.5–15.1 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.5%10.9–14.2 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.2%8.9–11.8 | 11.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.8%20.5–25.1 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.4%8.3–10.4 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12%10.7–13.2 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Maryland figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Ballenger Creek
Is Ballenger Creek a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ballenger Creek is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #96 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 67%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ballenger Creek?
CDC estimates 36.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.6% and 40%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ballenger Creek?
Frederick Health Hospital in Frederick, 3.0 miles in a straight line from Ballenger Creek’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ballenger Creek have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.3–9.6%), against 8.7% across Maryland.
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 Ballenger Creek more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ballenger Creek.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Maryland 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.