Photo: SlipperyDude · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Kettering is healthier than 21%
Kettering differs from Maryland on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kettering. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kettering
Against towns with similar incomes, Kettering’s lead shrinks
Kettering is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, but 21% of the 4,867 towns with similar household incomes ($95K–$159K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Maryland sets a high bar
Kettering is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, but only 35% of the 261 Maryland towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Diabetes, stroke and high blood pressure run high in Kettering
1 in 6 adults have diabetes (15.9%), vs 12.5% across Maryland. 1 in 24 adults have had a stroke (4.2%), vs 3.4% across Maryland. High blood pressure is also above the state: 45%, vs 36.8% across Maryland. In all, Kettering runs above Maryland on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Maryland 17%), and diabetes, stroke and high blood pressure are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Kettering, and more people treating it
45% of adults have high blood pressure (Maryland 36.8%), but 80.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
Kettering is older than Maryland, yet healthier on chronic conditions
Kettering runs below Maryland on depression (13.4% vs 19.4%) and COPD (4.9% vs 5.9%). That’s despite an older population: 25% 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 Kettering’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
What’s behind Kettering’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kettering is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, #171 of 261 in Maryland. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 95% of U.S. towns); obesity 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). Kettering’s median household income is $126,938; among the 4,867 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($95K–$159K), it’s healthier than 21%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Most Maryland towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Kettering is healthier than 35% of graded towns, against 64% nationally.
Out of every 100 Kettering adults…
Kettering runs below MD on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
Kettering is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Maryland. Arthritis, stroke and diabetes rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Kettering as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Kettering adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Care in and near Kettering
No hospital or community health center in Kettering 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 Kettering; ≈ 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.
8.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Kettering adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Kettering does better than Maryland.
1 in 3 Kettering 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.
11.6% of Kettering adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Kettering and the towns around it
Kettering’s Health Grade ranks 7th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kettering | B | 42.5% | 15.9% | 8.2% | CDC place |
| Brock Hall | A− | 42.2% | 12.6% | 7.8% | CDC place |
| Largo | B | 43.4% | 14.4% | 8.7% | CDC place |
| Woodmore | B+ | 40.1% | 14.9% | 6.7% | CDC place |
| Bowie | A− | 38% | 12.3% | 8.1% | CDC place |
| Lake Arbor | B+ | 41% | 13.4% | 7.3% | CDC place |
| Mitchellville | B+ | 40.8% | 14.9% | 7.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Kettering adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Kettering
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Kettering is better than Maryland on 11 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Kettering’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Kettering | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.6%15.5–19.9 | 17.9% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%10–12.6 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.8%11.4–14.3 | 15% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.5%38.6–46.5 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.9%14.3–17.6 | 12.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45%42.4–47.7 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.8%35–40.5 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.5%26.3–30.8 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.3%11.1–13.6 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%5.9–7.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.9%4.2–5.7 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.7–4.6 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.6%10.6–14.8 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.2%6.8–9.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 23.6%20.7–26.5 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 10.3%8.9–11.9 | 14.1% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.7%40.4–47 | 37.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.1%5.8–8.6 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.2%81.1–85.1 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.9%63.5–68.3 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 93.1%92.1–94 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.8%78.7–82.6 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.1%71.5–76.7 | 68.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 84.4%80.6–87.6 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 13.4%11.8–15.1 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 35.3%32–38.9 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.5%23.6–29.5 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.7%14.3–19.5 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.3%14.1–18.7 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10%8.6–11.5 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%7.1–9.4 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.6%9.5–13.9 | 11.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.3%22.5–27.9 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.3%12.6–16.3 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.1%8.9–11.4 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4%3.5–4.5 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%5.8–7.6 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.4–4.4 | 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 Kettering
Is Kettering a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kettering is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns: B for health, #171 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 Kettering?
CDC estimates 42.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.6% and 46.5%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Kettering?
University of MD Capital Region Medical Center in Upper Marlboro, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Kettering’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Kettering have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–8.6%), 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 Kettering 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 Kettering.
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.