Sophia's Dairy · Photo: E.H. Pickering, HABS photographer · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Riverside is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns
Riverside differs from Maryland on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Riverside. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Riverside
Riverside is short on dental care and mental health care
Riverside’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Heart disease and stroke are less common in Riverside
Riverside runs below Maryland on five chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (4.1% vs 5.8%), stroke (2.5% vs 3.4%) and COPD (4.7% vs 5.9%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (Maryland 17%). Conditions ↓
Riverside is an active town
Only 19.4% 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 Riverside’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Riverside’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Riverside is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns, #102 of 261 in Maryland. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 91% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 44%).
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). Riverside’s median household income is $105,785; among the 7,765 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($79K–$132K), it’s healthier than 67%, about where its income would put it.
Most Maryland towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Riverside is healthier than 61% of graded towns, against 79% nationally.
Care in and near Riverside
No hospital or community health center in Riverside 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 Riverside; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Riverside adults…
Riverside runs below MD on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Riverside 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.
1.6 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Riverside adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
How Riverside adults are doing
About the same as Maryland on each measure.
1 in 3 Riverside 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.
9.5% of Riverside adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Riverside and the towns around it
Riverside has the best Health Grade of the 3 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Riverside adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Riverside
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Riverside is better than Maryland on 11 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Riverside’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Riverside | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.8%13–16.8 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.7–12.3 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15–18.8 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.9%32.2–41.8 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10%8.8–11.3 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.8%28.8–34.8 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35%31.8–38.1 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.5%20.3–24.8 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–11.9 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.6–6.7 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.1–5.3 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.3%7.6–11.3 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%8.8–12.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.4%16.5–22.5 | 23.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%13.2–18.2 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.1%36.6–45.7 | 37.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.7%5.6–7.8 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78%74.8–80.7 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.8%58.7–65 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.4%86.8–89.8 | 89.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.4%68.4–74.1 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.3%63.5–71.2 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.8%75.6–85.2 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22%19.3–24.9 | 19.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.3%30.1–39 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.4%20.3–26.8 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.4%10.5–14.5 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.2%10.4–14.1 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.7%6.6–8.9 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5%8–11.2 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.4%19.6–25.4 | 26.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.2%7.9–10.5 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.2%10.8–13.8 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.3%3.8–4.8 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–3.9 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.5–7 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 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 Riverside
Is Riverside a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Riverside is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #102 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 67%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Riverside?
CDC estimates 36.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.2% and 41.8%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Riverside?
Umd Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Bel Air, 6.3 miles in a straight line from Riverside’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Riverside have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–7.8%), 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 Riverside 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 Riverside.
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.