Mallows Bay-Widewater Historic and Archeological District · Photo: Amazur · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Maryland, Indian Head is healthier than 16% of graded towns
Indian Head differs from Maryland on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Indian Head. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Indian Head
Making ends meet is harder in Indian Head
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.7%), vs 15.4% across Maryland. Utility shut-off threats (12.9% vs 8.4%) and housing insecurity (19.3% vs 13.5%) are higher too. 17.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Indian Head adults lack emotional support
3 in 10 adults lack social or emotional support (30.3%), vs 24.2% across Maryland. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.5%, vs 15% across Maryland. Mind & connection ↓
Indian Head trails towns with similar incomes
Indian Head is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns, and only 23% of the 10,060 towns with similar household incomes ($67K–$111K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Indian Head
Indian Head runs below Maryland on cancer (5.5% vs 7.6%) and heart disease (4.9% vs 5.8%). A young population is part of it: only 10% of residents are 65 or older (Maryland 17%). 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 Indian Head’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind Indian Head’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Indian Head is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns, #220 of 261 in Maryland. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 71% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Indian Head’s median household income is $89,063; among the 10,060 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$111K), it’s healthier than 23%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where Indian Head compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.5% (U.S. 7.9%); coronary heart disease, 4.9% (U.S. 6.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.6% of Indian Head adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
How Indian Head adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Indian Head runs above Maryland.
2 in 5 Indian Head 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.
Out of every 100 Indian Head adults…
Indian Head runs below MD on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Indian Head residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Maryland. Heart disease and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Indian Head
No hospital or community health center in Indian Head 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 Indian Head; ≈ 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.
1.5 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Indian Head adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Indian Head and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Head | C+ | 44.6% | 13.4% | 14.3% | CDC place |
| Potomac Heights | B− | 39.2% | 12.9% | 14.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Indian Head adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Indian Head
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Indian Head is better than Maryland on 3 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Indian Head’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Indian Head | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.9%17.4–22.7 | 17.9% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11.3–14.4 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.5–20.6 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 44.6%40.1–49.2 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.4%11.9–15.1 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41.1%38–44.1 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.6%31.7–37.5 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 24.6%22.3–26.9 | 25.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.2–12.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.5%5–6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6%5.2–6.9 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.1–3.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.9%9.8–14.2 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.3%12.1–16.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.2%22.7–29.8 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.6%11.6–15.8 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.4%40.2–48.2 | 37.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.7%7.2–10.4 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%77.1–82.3 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.6%50.4–56.5 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.4%86.8–90 | 89.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.6%72–77.2 | 76.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.8%59.9–67.3 | 68.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.7%73.5–83.3 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.8%16.4–21.4 | 19.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.1%33.8–42.3 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.3%26.7–33.9 | 24.2% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.7%18.3–25.1 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.3%16.6–22.1 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.9%11.1–14.7 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.9%9.4–12.4 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.6%14.6–20.6 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.3%25–31.9 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.1%11.4–15.1 | 12.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.5%12.7–16.4 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.7–6 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 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 Indian Head
Is Indian Head a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Indian Head is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #220 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 23%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Indian Head?
CDC estimates 44.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 40.1% and 49.2%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Indian Head?
Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center in Woodbridge, 7.5 miles in a straight line from Indian Head’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Indian Head have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–10.4%), 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 Indian Head more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Indian Head.
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.