Photo: Rph92 · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Essex is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns
Essex trails Maryland on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Essex. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Essex
Mental distress runs high in Essex
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (19%), vs 15% across Maryland. Depression is above the state too: 22.8%, vs 19.4% across Maryland. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Essex
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.8%), vs 15.4% across Maryland. No reliable transportation (11% vs 7.8%) and utility shut-off threats (11.6% vs 8.4%) are higher too. 18.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Essex
54.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Maryland. Among those 65 and older, 14% 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 Essex’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Essex’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Essex is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns, #233 of 261 in Maryland. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 54% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Essex’s median household income is $67,168; among the 10,232 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 35%, 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 Essex is healthier than 11% of graded towns, against 29% nationally.
How Essex adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Essex runs above Maryland.
4 in 10 Essex 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.
18.4% of Essex adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Keeping up with care
Share of Essex adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Out of every 100 Essex adults…
Essex runs above MD on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Essex
No hospital or community health center in Essex 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 Essex; ≈ 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.
6.7 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves
Essex and the towns around it
Essex’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex | C | 37.1% | 13.9% | 15.2% | CDC place |
| Middle River | C | 37.1% | 13.5% | 15% | CDC place |
| Rosedale | C+ | 36.3% | 14.3% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Dundalk | C− | 37.8% | 14.6% | 17.6% | CDC place |
| Bowleys Quarters | B | 34.9% | 12.2% | 13.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Essex adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Essex
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Essex is better than Maryland on 0 and worse on 22; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Essex’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Essex | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.6%20.7–24.6 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.7–15.3 | 12% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19%17.4–20.7 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.1%33.8–40.7 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.9%12.7–15.3 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.8%35.5–40.2 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.6%35.3–39.9 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.6%26.8–30.7 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.9–13.1 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.7%7.1–8.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6.2–7.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.3%7.5–9.1 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.2 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14%11.8–16.6 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.2%13.6–17 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.1%28.5–33.9 | 23.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.1%11.5–15 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.5%36.2–42.9 | 37.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.8%9.5–12.3 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%76.6–80.9 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.5%51.9–57.2 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.9%85.5–88.2 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.8%73.6–78 | 76.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.3%63–69.6 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.9%71.1–80.5 | 80.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.8%20.7–25.1 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 37.2%33.9–40.6 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.3%25.5–31.2 | 24.2% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.8%19.5–24.3 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.3%16.4–20.4 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.6%10.2–13 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11%9.8–12.3 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.4%16.5–20.7 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.8%28.4–33.4 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15%13.6–16.4 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.7%14.3–17.2 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.8–7 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%5.2–6.2 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8.5–10.2 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.1–4.9 | 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 Essex
Is Essex a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Essex is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #233 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 35%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Essex?
CDC estimates 37.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.8% and 40.7%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Essex?
Medstar Franklin Square Medical Center in Rosedale, 4.1 miles in a straight line from Essex’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Essex have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.5–12.3%), 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 Essex 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 Essex.
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.