Photo: Nonvirtual · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Maryland, Mount Rainier is healthier than 30% of graded towns
Mount Rainier differs from Maryland on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Mount Rainier. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Mount Rainier
Making ends meet is harder in Mount Rainier
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.4%), vs 15.4% across Maryland. Housing insecurity (21% vs 13.5%) and utility shut-off threats (11.9% vs 8.4%) are higher too. 16.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 6 working-age adults in Mount Rainier has no health insurance
16.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.7% across Maryland. Checkups ↓
Maryland sets a high bar
Mount Rainier is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, but only 30% of the 261 Maryland towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Mount Rainier is behind on routine checkups
It trails Maryland on three of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (74% vs 79.2%), dentist visits (57% vs 64.4%) and cholesterol checks (87.3% vs 89.6%). Checkups ↓
Mount Rainier is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Mount Rainier is healthier than 57%. Against the 10,391 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$86K), it’s healthier than 74%. Health Grade ↓
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 Mount Rainier’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind Mount Rainier’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mount Rainier is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, #184 of 261 in Maryland. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 83% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Mount Rainier’s median household income is $68,505; among the 10,391 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$86K), it’s healthier than 74%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.2% of Mount Rainier adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Keeping up with care
Share of Mount Rainier adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Out of every 100 Mount Rainier adults…
Mount Rainier runs below MD on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Mount Rainier
No hospital or community health center in Mount Rainier 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 Mount Rainier; ≈ 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.
0.1 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Mount Rainier adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Mount Rainier does better than Maryland.
4 in 10 Mount Rainier 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.
Mount Rainier and the towns around it
Mount Rainier’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Rainier | B | 41.3% | 12.3% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Chillum | C+ | 42.5% | 14.4% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Brentwood | C | 42.8% | 13.8% | 13.6% | CDC place |
| Hyattsville | B+ | 39% | 11% | 10.3% | CDC place |
| Cottage City | C | 41.4% | 15.8% | 12.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Mount Rainier adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Mount Rainier
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Mount Rainier is better than Maryland on 8 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Mount Rainier’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Mount Rainier | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.3%18.1–22.6 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.8–13.4 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.7–16.9 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.3%37.3–45 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.3%11–13.5 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.3%30.9–35.6 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.2%30.7–35.6 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 20.7%18.9–22.4 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.1%10–12.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.6%4.2–5.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.4%3.9–4.8 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.2–5.4 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.3 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.8–13.6 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.8%9.2–12.3 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.5%23.4–29.4 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%12.5–16.5 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.8%39.4–46.1 | 37.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.3%14–18.7 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74%71.2–76.5 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57%54.4–59.5 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.3%85.7–88.7 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.6%68–72.9 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.1%63.1–69.1 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.2%75.8–84.1 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.2%14.3–18.2 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 36.9%33.6–40.4 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.9%24.1–29.8 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.4%20.6–26.2 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 21%18.6–23.5 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.9%10.4–13.5 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.2%13.9–18.6 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.4%23.6–29.1 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.1%10.7–13.5 | 12.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.8%12.1–15.4 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4%3.5–4.5 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%4.9–6 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.6–8.3 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 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 Mount Rainier
Is Mount Rainier a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mount Rainier is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #184 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 74%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Mount Rainier?
CDC estimates 41.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.3% and 45%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Mount Rainier?
Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, 2.7 miles in a straight line from Mount Rainier’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Mount Rainier have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14–18.7%), 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 Mount Rainier more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Mount Rainier.
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.