Photo: Cecouchman · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Oakland is healthier than 90%
Oakland differs from Maryland on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Oakland. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Oakland
Oakland is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Oakland is healthier than 58%. Against the 6,873 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 90%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, COPD and heart disease run high in Oakland
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.9%), vs 7.6% across Maryland. 1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.2%), vs 5.9% across Maryland. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.5%, vs 5.8% across Maryland. In all, Oakland runs above Maryland on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (Maryland 17%), and cancer, COPD and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Oakland adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Maryland. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Oakland has a top-rated hospital
Garrett Regional Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Oakland’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Oakland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Oakland is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 70% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 45%).
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). Oakland’s median household income is $53,289; among the 6,873 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 90%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Oakland adults…
Oakland runs above MD on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Oakland is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Maryland. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Oakland as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
9.5% of Oakland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Care in and near Oakland
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Oakland, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Oakland; ≈ 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.
5.9 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Oakland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
How Oakland adults are doing
About the same as Maryland on each measure.
1 in 3 Oakland 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.
Oakland and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | B | 34.2% | 12.4% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| Mountain Lake Park | C− | 38.2% | 15.8% | 16.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Oakland adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Oakland
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Oakland is better than Maryland on 4 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Oakland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Oakland | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.3%16–23 | 17.9% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12–16.3 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.4–18.8 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.2%29.3–39.5 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.4%10.7–14.3 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.3%35.9–42.8 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.7%38.2–45.3 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.8%29.8–35.9 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%10–12.6 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.9%9.9–12 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.5–8.6 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.2%6.7–9.9 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.3–4.4 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.8%8.8–13.1 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.7%10.1–15.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.3%21–30.2 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.5–17.5 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.5%29.7–39.5 | 37.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.8%5.8–10.3 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.2%76.1–82.1 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66%62.9–69 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.2%86.1–90.1 | 89.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.5%76–80.7 | 76.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.1%64.7–73.1 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.6%74.6–85.8 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.1%18.4–24.2 | 19.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.2%27.8–37.2 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.5%18.3–25.2 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.4%8.8–14.2 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.5%7.7–11.5 | 13.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.9%4.9–7 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.3%5.3–7.5 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5%7.3–12 | 11.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.7%26.4–35.3 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.5%12–17.5 | 12.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.4–16.2 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.2–9.4 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.7–5.3 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%6.6–9.7 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%2.9–4.2 | 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 Oakland
Is Oakland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Oakland is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Oakland?
CDC estimates 34.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 39.5%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Oakland?
Garrett Regional Medical Center in Oakland, 0.2 miles in a straight line from Oakland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Oakland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–10.3%), 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 Oakland 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 Oakland.
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.