Photo: G. Edward Johnson · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Damascus is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Damascus differs from Maryland on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 19 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Damascus. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Damascus
Against towns with similar incomes, Damascus’ lead shrinks
Damascus is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, but 68% of the 2,236 towns with similar household incomes ($119K–$199K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Diabetes and obesity are less common in Damascus
Damascus runs below Maryland on seven chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (9.3% vs 12.5%), obesity (26.8% vs 35.1%) and stroke (2.6% vs 3.4%). Conditions ↓
Damascus is an active town
Only 17.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.6% across Maryland. Habits ↓
Fewer Damascus adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Maryland. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Damascus’ likely range.
What’s behind Damascus’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Damascus is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #32 of 261 in Maryland. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 94% of towns); the weakest is fair or poor health, still better than 85%.
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). Damascus’ median household income is $158,883; among the 2,236 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($119K–$199K), it’s healthier than 68%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Damascus adults…
Damascus runs below MD on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maryland
Share of adults, with the Maryland figure marked.
4.7 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.2% of Damascus adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Care in and near Damascus
No hospital or community health center in Damascus 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 Damascus; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Damascus adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
How Damascus adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Damascus does better than Maryland.
1 in 3 Damascus 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.
Damascus and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damascus | A | 26.8% | 9.3% | 8.3% | CDC place |
| Clarksburg | A+ | 22.9% | 9.2% | 6.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Damascus adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Damascus
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Damascus is better than Maryland on 19 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Damascus’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Damascus | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.8%13.2–16.6 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11%9.8–12.2 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%12.2–14.9 | 15% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.8%23.8–29.8 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.3%8.3–10.4 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.2%28–32.4 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.5%37.9–42.8 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.4%19.6–23.2 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.8–10.8 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%7–8.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.2–5.5 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.1%5–7.3 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.3%7.1–9.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.8%15.8–20 | 23.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%13.6–17.5 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%30.1–35.8 | 37.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%7.1–9.5 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.6%73.1–77.9 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.1%67.9–72.2 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.3%89–91.5 | 89.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.7%70.9–76.2 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70%67.1–72.9 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.8%75.6–83.6 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20%18–22.1 | 19.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.7%29.8–35.7 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.2%19–23.6 | 24.2% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11%9.4–12.6 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10%8.7–11.4 | 13.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%4.9–6.4 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.2%6–8.4 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.1%19.9–24.3 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9%8–10.3 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11%9.8–12.3 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5%4.5–5.5 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–4 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.6%5–6.3 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.4–3 | 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 Damascus
Is Damascus a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Damascus is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #32 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 68%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Damascus?
CDC estimates 26.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.8% and 29.8%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Damascus?
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital in Germantown, 6.8 miles in a straight line from Damascus’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Damascus have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.1–9.5%), 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 Damascus more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Damascus.
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.