Photo: Devin Morris · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, National Harbor is healthier than 47%
National Harbor differs from Maryland on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for National Harbor. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in National Harbor
Against towns with similar incomes, National Harbor’s lead shrinks
National Harbor is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, but 47% of the 7,189 towns with similar household incomes ($82K–$137K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
National Harbor sleeps less
42.6% of adults sleep under 7 hours a night, vs 37.7% across Maryland. Habits ↓
Cancer and depression are less common in National Harbor
National Harbor runs below Maryland on four chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.5% vs 7.6%), depression (14.6% vs 19.4%) and COPD (4.6% 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 National Harbor’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind National Harbor’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, National Harbor is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, #139 of 261 in Maryland. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 94% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 25%).
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). National Harbor’s median household income is $109,707; among the 7,189 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($82K–$137K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.
Most Maryland towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state National Harbor is healthier than 47% of graded towns, against 70% nationally.
Out of every 100 National Harbor adults…
National Harbor runs below MD on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maryland
Share of adults, with the Maryland figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near National Harbor
No hospital or community health center in National Harbor 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 National Harbor; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of National Harbor adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
How National Harbor adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, National Harbor does better than Maryland.
1 in 3 National Harbor 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.
11.4% of National Harbor adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
National Harbor and the towns around it
National Harbor has the best Health Grade of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Harbor | B+ | 39.4% | 13.1% | 9% | CDC place |
| Forest Heights | C+ | 42.9% | 16.2% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Fort Washington | B+ | 39.1% | 15.7% | 8.2% | 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 National Harbor adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for National Harbor
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, National Harbor is better than Maryland on 7 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside National Harbor’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | National Harbor | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.4%14.8–20.1 | 17.9% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.1%9.7–12.6 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.7–14.9 | 15% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.4%35.5–43.3 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.6–14.7 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.9%34.2–39.4 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%33.2–38.5 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.2%21.1–25.1 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.1%10–12.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.5%5–6.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.6%3.8–5.4 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.9%5.7–8.3 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9%7.3–10.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23%19.7–26.2 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13%11.2–14.9 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.6%39.3–46 | 37.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.1%8–12.4 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78%75.5–80.3 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62%59.5–64.5 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.7%89.3–92.1 | 89.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.1%72.6–77.4 | 76.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%65.3–71.3 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.2%77–85 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 14.6%12.8–16.4 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 34.8%31.1–38.7 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.7%22.3–29.2 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.3%13.6–21.2 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.3%13.3–19.3 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.5%7.8–11.3 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.3%6.8–9.9 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.4%8.5–14.7 | 11.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.5%20.5–26.5 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.8%10–13.7 | 12.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.9%9.3–12.6 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%3.8–5.2 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.3–7.4 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%2.9–4.1 | 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 National Harbor
Is National Harbor a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, National Harbor is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #139 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 National Harbor?
CDC estimates 39.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.5% and 43.3%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to National Harbor?
United Medical Center in Washington, 3.8 miles in a straight line from National Harbor’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in National Harbor have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8–12.4%), 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 National Harbor 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 National Harbor.
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.