Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory · Photo: BobDrzyzgula · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Gaithersburg is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns
Gaithersburg differs from Maryland on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gaithersburg. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gaithersburg
Arthritis and COPD are less common in Gaithersburg
Gaithersburg runs below Maryland on eight chronic conditions, most of all arthritis (19.1% vs 25.8%), COPD (4.4% vs 5.9%) and obesity (26.9% vs 35.1%). Conditions ↓
Many Gaithersburg adults are uninsured, but health holds up
1 in 8 working-age adults has no health insurance (12.2%, vs 8.7% across Maryland). Yet the share who say their health is fair or poor, 17.4%, is about level with the state’s 17.9%. Fewer get a yearly checkup: 75.1% vs 79.2%. Checkups ↓
Gaithersburg has a community health center but no hospital
The Community Clinic is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Holy Cross Germantown Hospital in Germantown, 3.3 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Gaithersburg’s likely range.
What’s behind Gaithersburg’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gaithersburg is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, #61 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 67%.
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). Gaithersburg’s median household income is $112,467; among the 6,798 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($84K–$141K), it’s healthier than 81%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Gaithersburg adults…
Gaithersburg runs below MD on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gaithersburg adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Care in and near Gaithersburg
1 community health center in Gaithersburg, 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 Gaithersburg; ≈ 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.
11 miles of trails across 28 parks and preserves
How Gaithersburg adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Gaithersburg does better than Maryland.
1 in 3 Gaithersburg 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.
11.3% of Gaithersburg adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Gaithersburg and the towns around it
Gaithersburg’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaithersburg | A | 26.9% | 10.5% | 8.4% | CDC place |
| Flower Hill | A− | 29.1% | 12% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| Montgomery Village | A− | 29.8% | 11.4% | 9.2% | CDC place |
| Redland | A | 26.5% | 10.9% | 8.2% | CDC place |
| North Potomac | A+ | 21.1% | 10.5% | 5.7% | CDC place |
| Darnestown | A+ | 22.6% | 9.3% | 5.6% | CDC place |
| Washington Grove | — | — | — | — |
Washington Grove: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gaithersburg adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gaithersburg
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gaithersburg is better than Maryland on 12 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Gaithersburg’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gaithersburg | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.4%15.8–19.1 | 17.9% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11%9.9–12.1 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%12–14.6 | 15% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.9%23.8–30 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9.4–11.6 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.2%27.9–32.3 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.2%36.7–41.7 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19.1%17.4–20.6 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.3–10.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.6–6.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.8%4.3–5.2 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.4%4–4.9 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–2.9 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.7%6.4–9.2 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.4%7.3–9.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.5%19.3–23.8 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11.9–15.5 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35%32.1–38 | 37.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.2%10.7–13.7 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.1%72.5–77.3 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.8%62.4–67 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%87.6–90 | 89.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.7%70.1–75 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.2%62.2–68.1 | 68.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.5%74.2–82.5 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.6%15.7–19.5 | 19.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.4%31.4–37.5 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.1%21.6–26.7 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.5%14.8–18.3 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.8%12.4–15.5 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.7%6.8–8.7 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%7–8.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.3%10–12.7 | 11.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.5%21.4–25.7 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.8%8.8–10.9 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.7%10.5–12.9 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.8–3.3 | 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 Gaithersburg
Is Gaithersburg a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gaithersburg is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns: A for health, #61 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 81%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gaithersburg?
CDC estimates 26.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.8% and 30%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gaithersburg?
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital in Germantown, 3.3 miles in a straight line from Gaithersburg’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gaithersburg have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.7–13.7%), 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 Gaithersburg 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 Gaithersburg.
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.