Photo: TwoScarsUp · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, North Potomac is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns
North Potomac differs from Maryland on 27 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 26 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for North Potomac. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in North Potomac
Obesity and COPD are less common in North Potomac
North Potomac runs below Maryland on nine chronic conditions, most of all obesity (21.1% vs 35.1%), COPD (3.7% vs 5.9%) and stroke (2.5% vs 3.4%). Conditions ↓
North Potomac adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (30.3% vs 34.3%), frequent mental distress (10.1% vs 15%), lack of emotional support (20.7% vs 24.2%) and depression (15.6% vs 19.4%) all run below Maryland. Mind & connection ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, North Potomac’s lead shrinks
North Potomac is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns, but 74% of the 1,211 towns with similar household incomes ($140K–$233K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Few North Potomac adults smoke
5.7% 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 Potomac’s likely range.
What’s behind North Potomac’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Potomac is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns, #16 of 261 in Maryland. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 74%.
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 Potomac’s median household income is $186,514; among the 1,211 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($140K–$233K), it’s healthier than 74%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 North Potomac adults…
North Potomac runs below MD on 10 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
How North Potomac adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, North Potomac does better than Maryland.
3 in 10 North Potomac 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maryland
Share of adults, with the Maryland figure marked.
15 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Care in and near North Potomac
No hospital or community health center in North Potomac 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 Potomac; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of North Potomac adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
4.3% of North Potomac adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
North Potomac and the towns around it
North Potomac’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 Potomac | A+ | 21.1% | 10.5% | 5.7% | CDC place |
| Travilah | A+ | 19.4% | 10.2% | 4.7% | CDC place |
| Darnestown | A+ | 22.6% | 9.3% | 5.6% | CDC place |
| Gaithersburg | A | 26.9% | 10.5% | 8.4% | CDC place |
| Rockville | A+ | 24.4% | 9.7% | 7.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of North Potomac adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for North Potomac
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, North Potomac is better than Maryland on 26 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside North Potomac’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | North Potomac | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12%10.7–13.3 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9%8.1–10 | 12% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.1%9.1–11.1 | 15% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 21.1%18.6–23.8 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10.5%9.4–11.6 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.2%28.9–33.5 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.2%41.5–46.7 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 20.5%18.8–22.3 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.3%7.4–9.1 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.9–8.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.7%3.3–4.2 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.7 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.2%3.4–5.1 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 5.7%4.8–6.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.3%14.5–18.2 | 23.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 12.2%10.6–13.8 | 14.1% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31%28.3–33.9 | 37.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.8%4.1–5.6 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%76.7–81 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.3%72.2–76.3 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.7%91.8–93.6 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.8%75.1–80.1 | 76.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.5%65.6–71.3 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.6%76.5–84.3 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.6%13.9–17.3 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 30.3%27.5–33.3 | 34.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.7%18.4–23 | 24.2% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.7%6.5–8.8 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.3%5.5–7.3 | 13.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.6%3.1–4.2 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4%3.5–4.5 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.3%3.6–5 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 18%16.3–19.9 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 7.8%6.9–8.7 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 7.6%6.8–8.5 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.1%3.6–4.5 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.1%1.9–2.3 | 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 Potomac
Is North Potomac a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Potomac is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #16 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 North Potomac?
CDC estimates 21.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.6% and 23.8%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to North Potomac?
Adventist Healthcare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, 2.1 miles in a straight line from North Potomac’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in North Potomac have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.1–5.6%), 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 North Potomac 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 Potomac.
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.