On CDC estimates, District Heights is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns
District Heights differs from Maryland on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for District Heights. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in District Heights
Making ends meet is harder in District Heights
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (29%), about twice the Maryland rate. Utility shut-off threats (16.2% vs 8.4%) and housing insecurity (24.6% vs 13.5%) are higher too. 24.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in District Heights
52.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Maryland. Among those 65 and older, 16.9% have lost all their teeth (Maryland 9.9%). Checkups ↓
Diabetes, stroke and obesity run high in District Heights
1 in 6 adults have diabetes (17.6%), vs 12.5% across Maryland. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.7%), vs 3.4% across Maryland. Obesity is also above the state: 47%, vs 35.1% across Maryland. In all, District Heights runs above Maryland on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
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 District Heights’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind District Heights’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, District Heights is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #232 of 261 in Maryland. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 70% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). District Heights’ median household income is $86,955; among the 10,244 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($65K–$109K), it’s healthier than 16%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Most Maryland towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state District Heights is healthier than 11% of graded towns, against 30% nationally.
Where District Heights compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.4% (U.S. 7.9%); binge drinking, 10.6% (U.S. 15.4%); ever told they have depression, 15.3% (U.S. 20.6%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
24.2% of District Heights adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Keeping up with care
Share of District Heights adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Out of every 100 District Heights adults…
District Heights runs below MD on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near District Heights
No hospital or community health center in District Heights 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 District Heights; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How District Heights adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, District Heights runs above Maryland.
2 in 5 District Heights 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.
District Heights and the towns around it
District Heights’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District Heights | C | 47% | 17.6% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| Walker Mill | C | 47% | 17.4% | 13% | CDC place |
| Forestville | C+ | 45.9% | 16.9% | 12.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of District Heights adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for District Heights
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, District Heights is better than Maryland on 3 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside District Heights’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | District Heights | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.4%21.7–27.3 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.4–15.6 | 12% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.4–17.8 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 47%42.9–50.9 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 17.6%15.9–19.3 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.1%42.4–47.5 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%33.8–39 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.8%25.7–29.9 | 25.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 13%11.7–14.4 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.4%4.9–5.9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.4–6.8 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.8%5.9–7.9 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.9%14.4–19.7 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.7%10.9–14.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.8%27.5–34.4 | 23.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 10.6%9.1–12.2 | 14.1% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 48.4%45.1–51.8 | 37.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12%10–14.1 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.2%77.9–82.3 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.5%49.8–55.3 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.2%87.8–90.6 | 89.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%75.4–79.4 | 76.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.8%65.6–71.9 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.7%76.2–84.5 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.3%13.5–17.3 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 38.2%34.8–42 | 34.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.3%26.3–32.7 | 24.2% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 29%25.2–33.1 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 24.6%21.6–27.8 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 16.2%14.1–18.4 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.5%11.8–15.4 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.2%20.5–28.1 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.2%28.1–34.5 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.6%15.4–19.8 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.6–16.3 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.5%4–5 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%6.3–8 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.4–11 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%4.9–6.3 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 District Heights
Is District Heights a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, District Heights is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #232 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 16%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in District Heights?
CDC estimates 47% of adults have obesity, likely between 42.9% and 50.9%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to District Heights?
University of MD Capital Region Medical Center in Upper Marlboro, 3.6 miles in a straight line from District Heights’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in District Heights have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10–14.1%), 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 District Heights more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in District Heights.
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.