Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Maryland, Smithsburg is healthier than 23% of graded towns
Smithsburg differs from Maryland on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Smithsburg. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Smithsburg
Depression is more common in Smithsburg
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (25.1%), vs 19.4% across Maryland. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.1%, vs 15% across Maryland. Mind & connection ↓
Smithsburg trails towns with similar incomes
Smithsburg is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns, and only 24% of the 8,492 towns with similar household incomes ($76K–$126K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Smoking is more common in Smithsburg
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (15.1%), 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 Smithsburg’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Smithsburg’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Smithsburg is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns, #202 of 261 in Maryland. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 65% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). Smithsburg’s median household income is $100,673; among the 8,492 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$126K), it’s healthier than 24%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where Smithsburg compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 33.5% (U.S. 37.1%).
How Smithsburg adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Smithsburg runs above Maryland.
1 in 3 Smithsburg 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Out of every 100 Smithsburg adults…
Smithsburg runs below MD on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Smithsburg residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Maryland. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Smithsburg
No hospital or community health center in Smithsburg 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 Smithsburg; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Smithsburg 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.
11.4% of Smithsburg adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Smithsburg and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smithsburg | B− | 37.9% | 11.1% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Cavetown | — | — | — | — |
Cavetown: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Smithsburg adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Smithsburg
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Smithsburg is better than Maryland on 1 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Smithsburg’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Smithsburg | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.2%15.8–20.9 | 17.9% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12–15.3 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16.1–20.2 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.9%34–42.2 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.8–12.6 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34%31.3–36.8 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.5%31.1–36.1 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 27.8%25.6–30.2 | 25.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.9–12.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.9%7.1–8.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5–6.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.3%6.1–8.4 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.4 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.3%8.6–12.1 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.1%12.6–17.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.9%23.5–30.4 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%13.2–17.6 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.1%36.6–43.5 | 37.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%6.6–10.3 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.7%74.8–80.2 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.7%59–64.3 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.8%84.7–88.8 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.6%70.8–76.3 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.4%56.9–63.7 | 68.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.7%72.9–81.8 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.1%22.5–27.8 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35.4%31.4–39.1 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%20.8–27.5 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.9%11.2–16.8 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.5%10.3–14.6 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8%6.7–9.4 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.7%6.4–8.9 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.4%8.9–14 | 11.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.6%26.4–33 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.2%10.5–14.1 | 12.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.3%13.2–17.5 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.3–6.8 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.7–4.8 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%6.8–9.1 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3–4 | 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 Smithsburg
Is Smithsburg a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Smithsburg is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #202 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 24%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Smithsburg?
CDC estimates 37.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 34% and 42.2%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Smithsburg?
Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown, 5.9 miles in a straight line from Smithsburg’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Smithsburg have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.6–10.3%), 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 Smithsburg 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 Smithsburg.
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.