Rock Creek Woods Historic District · Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, North Kensington is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns
North Kensington differs from Maryland on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 22 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for North Kensington. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in North Kensington
COPD and obesity are less common in North Kensington
North Kensington runs below Maryland on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4.1% vs 5.9%), obesity (26% vs 35.1%) and stroke (2.6% vs 3.4%). Conditions ↓
North Kensington is an active town
Only 17.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.6% across Maryland. Habits ↓
Few North Kensington adults smoke
6.9% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 10.9% across Maryland. Habits ↓
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 North Kensington’s likely range.
What’s behind North Kensington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Kensington is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns, #23 of 261 in Maryland. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 98% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 83%.
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). North Kensington’s median household income is $135,040; among the 4,036 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($101K–$169K), it’s healthier than 90%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 North Kensington adults…
North Kensington runs below MD on 9 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.
0.6 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Care in and near North Kensington
No hospital or community health center in North Kensington 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 North Kensington; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of North Kensington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
How North Kensington adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, North Kensington does better than Maryland.
1 in 3 North Kensington 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.
6.3% of North Kensington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
North Kensington and the towns around it
North Kensington’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Kensington | A+ | 26% | 9.8% | 6.9% | CDC place |
| Wheaton | A− | 29.6% | 11.7% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| Kensington | A+ | 25.1% | 8.5% | 6% | CDC place |
| North Bethesda | A+ | 23.6% | 8.6% | 5.8% | CDC place |
| South Kensington | A+ | 23.4% | 8.3% | 5.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of North Kensington adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for North Kensington
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, North Kensington is better than Maryland on 22 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside North Kensington’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | North Kensington | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.1%12.7–15.6 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.2%9.2–11.2 | 12% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.8–13.2 | 15% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26%23–29 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.8%8.7–10.8 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.6%28.4–32.7 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.7%38.2–43.2 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 20.8%19.1–22.5 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.1%8.2–10 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.8–8.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.1%3.7–4.7 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.2%4.3–6.3 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6.9%5.9–7.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.7%15.7–19.8 | 23.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12.8–16.5 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.1%29.3–35 | 37.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7.3–9.9 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.5%74.1–78.8 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.1%69.9–74.1 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.2%90.1–92.2 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.9%72.3–77.2 | 76.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.6%67.7–73.4 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.5%76.4–84.2 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.8%16–19.7 | 19.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.6%28.7–34.6 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%18.6–23.3 | 24.2% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.3%8.8–11.8 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.5%8.3–10.9 | 13.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.6–6 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.3%5.3–7.4 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.2%19.2–23.2 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.9%7.9–9.9 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.7%8.7–10.8 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.1%4.5–5.6 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–3.9 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5%4.5–5.6 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.3–2.7 | 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 North Kensington
Is North Kensington a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Kensington is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #23 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in North Kensington?
CDC estimates 26% of adults have obesity, likely between 23% and 29%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to North Kensington?
Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, 3.6 miles in a straight line from North Kensington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in North Kensington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.3–9.9%), 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 North Kensington 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 North Kensington.
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.