Chestertown Historic District · Photo: Acroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Chestertown is healthier than 91%
Chestertown differs from Maryland on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Chestertown. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chestertown
Chestertown is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Chestertown is healthier than 62%. Against the 7,224 towns with similar household incomes ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 91%. Health Grade ↓
Maryland sets a high bar
Chestertown is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, but only 33% of the 261 Maryland towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Heart disease, COPD and cancer run high in Chestertown
1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.8%), vs 5.8% across Maryland. 1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.8%), vs 5.9% across Maryland. Cancer is also above the state: 9.8%, vs 7.6% across Maryland. In all, Chestertown runs above Maryland on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Maryland 17%), and heart disease, COPD and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Chestertown has a five-star hospital
University of MD Shore Medical Center at Chestertown is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Maryland figure falls outside Chestertown’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Chestertown’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chestertown is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, #175 of 261 in Maryland. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 84% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 37%).
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). Chestertown’s median household income is $54,346; among the 7,224 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 91%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Maryland towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Chestertown is healthier than 33% of graded towns, against 62% nationally.
Out of every 100 Chestertown adults…
Chestertown runs above MD on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Chestertown is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Maryland. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Chestertown as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Chestertown
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Chestertown, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Chestertown; ≈ 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.
0.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Chestertown adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
How Chestertown adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Chestertown runs above Maryland.
1 in 3 Chestertown 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.
12.4% of Chestertown adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Chestertown and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chestertown | B | 33.7% | 12.9% | 10.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Chestertown adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chestertown
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chestertown is better than Maryland on 2 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Chestertown’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chestertown | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.5%16.3–23.2 | 17.9% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.9%11–15.1 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%14.5–19.5 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.7%27.6–39.8 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11–14.9 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.8%36–43.3 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.1%34.3–41.8 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2%27–33.1 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.8–12.7 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.8%8.7–10.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%6.7–8.9 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%6.3–9.5 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.6–4.9 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.1%9.9–14.6 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.6%8.6–12.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.8%20.4–29.6 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.4–18 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.2%29.9–40.7 | 37.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%6.4–10.8 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%76.4–83 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.3%54.7–61.8 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.2%83.3–88.5 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79%76.8–81 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.7%68.5–76.7 | 68.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.6%73.1–85.1 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%19.5–26.7 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 34.3%29.4–39.2 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.9%19.3–26.7 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.8%11.9–18.5 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.6%9.6–13.8 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.7%6.4–8.9 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.6%7.1–10.4 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.4%9.9–15.4 | 11.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.2%26.5–36.1 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.1%12.5–17.9 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.7%12.1–17.5 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%6.9–9.2 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%4.6–6.5 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%7.5–10.9 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.3–4.7 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Chestertown
Is Chestertown a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chestertown is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #175 of 261 in Maryland. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chestertown?
CDC estimates 33.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.6% and 39.8%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chestertown?
University of MD Shore Medical Ctr at Chestertown in Chestertown, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Chestertown’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chestertown have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–10.8%), 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 Chestertown more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Chestertown.
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.