Photo: Hawkeye58 at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Dundalk is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Dundalk trails Maryland on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dundalk. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dundalk
COPD, heart disease and depression run high in Dundalk
1 in 10 adults have COPD (9.8%), vs 5.9% across Maryland. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.5%), vs 5.8% across Maryland. Depression is also above the state: 24.7%, vs 19.4% across Maryland. In all, Dundalk runs above Maryland on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Dundalk adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (33.8%), vs 23.6% across Maryland. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Dundalk
52.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Maryland. Among those 65 and older, 16.4% have lost all their teeth (Maryland 9.9%). Checkups ↓
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 Dundalk’s likely range.
What’s behind Dundalk’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dundalk is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns, #250 of 261 in Maryland. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 37% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Dundalk’s median household income is $64,520; among the 9,836 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$81K), it’s healthier than 16%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Dundalk adults…
Dundalk runs above 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.
8.8 miles of trails across 30 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Dundalk adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Care in and near Dundalk
No hospital or community health center in Dundalk 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 Dundalk; ≈ 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).
How Dundalk adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Dundalk runs above Maryland.
4 in 10 Dundalk 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.
20.8% of Dundalk adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Dundalk and the towns around it
Dundalk’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 5 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dundalk adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dundalk
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dundalk is better than Maryland on 0 and worse on 23; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Dundalk’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dundalk | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.3%23.4–27.3 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%14.2–17 | 12% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.1%18.5–21.9 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.8%34.4–41.4 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.6%13.3–16 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.6%35.4–39.9 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.4%36.1–40.7 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.6%27.7–31.5 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.8–13 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.8%7.2–8.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.9–8.2 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.8%9–10.7 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.9–4.4 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.4%13.9–19.3 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.6%15.9–19.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33.8%31.1–36.6 | 23.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.6%11.9–15.4 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.7%35.5–42.1 | 37.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13%11.7–14.6 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%74.9–79.4 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.1%49.4–54.9 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.1%83.6–86.5 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.3%73.2–77.5 | 76.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.5%61.2–68 | 68.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.7%69.7–79.5 | 80.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.7%22.5–27.1 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 36.9%33.7–40.1 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.4%24.7–30.1 | 24.2% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.8%21.5–26.2 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.8%16.8–20.6 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.9%10.6–13.2 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.8%10.6–12.9 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.8%18.6–22.8 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.5%31.1–36.1 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.6%15.2–18.1 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.5%16.1–19.1 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.7–8 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%6.1–7 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.5%9.6–11.5 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.8–5.5 | 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 Dundalk
Is Dundalk a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dundalk is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #250 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 Dundalk?
CDC estimates 37.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.4% and 41.4%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dundalk?
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, 3.3 miles in a straight line from Dundalk’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Dundalk have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.7–14.6%), 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 Dundalk more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Dundalk.
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.