Photo: FlugKerl2 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, North Laurel is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
North Laurel differs from Maryland on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for North Laurel. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in North Laurel
COPD and heart disease are less common in North Laurel
North Laurel runs below Maryland on six chronic conditions, most of all COPD (3.6% vs 5.9%), heart disease (3.7% vs 5.8%) and stroke (2.3% vs 3.4%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (Maryland 17%). Conditions ↓
North Laurel is an active town
Only 17.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.6% 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 Laurel’s likely range.
What’s behind North Laurel’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Laurel is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #45 of 261 in Maryland. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 97% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 71%.
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 Laurel’s median household income is $122,949; among the 5,313 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($92K–$154K), it’s healthier than 83%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 North Laurel adults…
North Laurel runs below MD on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of North Laurel residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Maryland. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maryland
Share of adults, with the Maryland figure marked.
3.3 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Care in and near North Laurel
No hospital or community health center in North Laurel 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 Laurel; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of North Laurel adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
How North Laurel adults are doing
About the same as Maryland on each measure.
1 in 3 North Laurel 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.
9.4% of North Laurel adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
North Laurel and the towns around it
North Laurel’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 6 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 Laurel | A | 33% | 10% | 8.7% | CDC place |
| Savage | A | 34.6% | 10.9% | 9.6% | CDC place |
| Laurel | B+ | 40.1% | 11.8% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Scaggsville | A+ | 28.2% | 9.6% | 6.6% | CDC place |
| Columbia | A | 32.2% | 10.6% | 7.9% | CDC place |
| Maryland City | B+ | 39.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of North Laurel adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for North Laurel
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, North Laurel is better than Maryland on 13 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside North Laurel’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | North Laurel | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.7%12–15.3 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.6%8.5–10.7 | 12% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.6–15.7 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33%29–37.3 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10%8.8–11.2 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.5%29.7–35.3 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.7%32.8–38.6 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.7%18.7–22.9 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.2%4.7–5.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.7%3.3–4.1 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.6%3.2–4 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.5 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.1%4.9–7.5 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.7%7.4–10 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.8%15.3–20.3 | 23.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 13.8%11.8–16.1 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.8%36.6–45.2 | 37.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.6%6.4–8.8 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.3%76.5–82 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.1%65.2–70.9 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.1%88.9–91.4 | 89.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.4%68.4–74.4 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.2%61.2–69.1 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.9%77.9–87.1 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.9%15.7–20.4 | 19.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.8%29.8–37.7 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.3%22.1–28.5 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.5%11.5–15.8 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.9%11.1–14.9 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.7%6.6–8.8 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.2%6.3–8.2 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.4%7.9–11 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.1%18.6–23.6 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.5%7.5–9.7 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.7%9.5–11.9 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.6%3.2–4.1 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3.2–3.8 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.4%4.8–6 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–2.8 | 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 Laurel
Is North Laurel a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Laurel is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #45 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 83%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in North Laurel?
CDC estimates 33% of adults have obesity, likely between 29% and 37.3%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to North Laurel?
Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center in Columbia, 6.2 miles in a straight line from North Laurel’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in North Laurel have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–8.8%), 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 Laurel 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 Laurel.
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.