Fort Washington · Photo: Dfowlerdc · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fort Washington is healthier than 12%
Fort Washington differs from Maryland on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Washington. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Washington
Against towns with similar incomes, Fort Washington’s lead shrinks
Fort Washington is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns, but 12% of the 3,288 towns with similar household incomes ($107K–$179K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Maryland sets a high bar
Fort Washington is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns, but only 41% of the 261 Maryland towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Diabetes and stroke run high in Fort Washington
1 in 6 adults have diabetes (15.7%), vs 12.5% across Maryland. 1 in 25 adults have had a stroke (4%), vs 3.4% across Maryland. In all, Fort Washington runs above Maryland on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Fort Washington, and more people treating it
42.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Maryland 36.8%), but 80.3% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
Depression and COPD are less common in Fort Washington
Fort Washington runs below Maryland on depression (13.1% vs 19.4%) and COPD (5% vs 5.9%). 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 Fort Washington’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
What’s behind Fort Washington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Washington is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns, #154 of 261 in Maryland. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 97% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Fort Washington’s median household income is $143,333; among the 3,288 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($107K–$179K), it’s healthier than 12%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Maryland towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Fort Washington is healthier than 41% of graded towns, against 66% nationally.
Out of every 100 Fort Washington adults…
Fort Washington runs below MD on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Washington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Care in and near Fort Washington
1 hospital in Fort Washington, 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 Fort Washington; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maryland
Share of adults, with the Maryland figure marked.
6.4 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
How Fort Washington adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Fort Washington does better than Maryland.
1 in 3 Fort Washington 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.
10.4% of Fort Washington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Fort Washington and the towns around it
Fort Washington’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Washington | B+ | 39.1% | 15.7% | 8.2% | CDC place |
| Accokeek | B+ | 40.1% | 13.3% | 8.6% | CDC place |
| Clinton | B− | 43.5% | 16.4% | 10.3% | CDC place |
| National Harbor | B+ | 39.4% | 13.1% | 9% | CDC place |
| Friendly | B− | 42.1% | 16.2% | 9.8% | CDC place |
| Oxon Hill | B− | 41.8% | 15% | 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 Fort Washington adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Washington
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Washington is better than Maryland on 10 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Fort Washington’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Washington | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.8%16–19.7 | 17.9% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.4%10.2–12.6 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.8–13.4 | 15% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.1%35.3–42.8 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.7%14.2–17.3 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.5%39.9–45.1 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.2%36.4–41.8 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.3%25.2–29.5 | 25.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.9–12.1 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.8%6.2–7.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5%4.5–5.6 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 4%3.7–4.3 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.1%6.7–9.6 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.2%7.1–9.4 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 24.2%21.6–26.8 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 10.9%9.4–12.5 | 14.1% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.6%38.4–44.9 | 37.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.2%8–10.5 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.2%79–83.1 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.5%63–67.8 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.3%91.3–93.2 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.3%78.2–82.2 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.4%70.6–76.2 | 68.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 83.7%80–87 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 13.1%11.5–14.8 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 34.3%31.1–37.8 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.8%23.2–28.7 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.1%14.1–18.2 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.7%13–16.6 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.6%7.6–9.8 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.7%6.8–8.6 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.4%8.9–12 | 11.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.2%22.8–27.6 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.9%12.4–15.4 | 12.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10%8.9–11.1 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.3–5.2 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.7–7 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 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 Fort Washington
Is Fort Washington a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Washington is healthier than 66% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #154 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 Fort Washington?
CDC estimates 39.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.3% and 42.8%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Washington?
Adventist Healthcare Fort Washington Medical Ctr in Fort Washington, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Fort Washington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fort Washington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8–10.5%), 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 Fort Washington more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fort Washington.
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.