Montpelier · Photo: The original uploader was Quarterczar at English Wikipedia. · Public domainWithin Maryland, South Laurel is healthier than 34% of graded towns
South Laurel differs from Maryland on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for South Laurel. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in South Laurel
Maryland sets a high bar
South Laurel is healthier than 63% of U.S. towns, but only 34% of the 261 Maryland towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in South Laurel
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.7%), vs 15.4% across Maryland. Housing insecurity (19.8% vs 13.5%) and utility shut-off threats (12.1% vs 8.4%) are higher too. 15.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 8 working-age adults in South Laurel has no health insurance
11.9% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.7% across Maryland. Checkups ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in South Laurel
South Laurel runs below Maryland on five chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.1% vs 7.6%), heart disease (4.5% vs 5.8%) and depression (15.7% vs 19.4%). A young population is part of it: only 12% of residents are 65 or older (Maryland 17%). Conditions ↓
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 South Laurel’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind South Laurel’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, South Laurel is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, #173 of 261 in Maryland. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 86% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 15%).
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). South Laurel’s median household income is $88,933; among the 10,078 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$111K), it’s healthier than 57%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.8% of South Laurel adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Out of every 100 South Laurel adults…
South Laurel runs below MD on 7 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of South Laurel residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Maryland. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Keeping up with care
Share of South Laurel adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Care in and near South Laurel
No hospital or community health center in South 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 South Laurel; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maryland
Share of adults, with the Maryland figure marked.
6.6 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves
How South Laurel adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, South Laurel does better than Maryland.
4 in 10 South 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.
South Laurel and the towns around it
South Laurel’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Laurel | B | 41.1% | 12.5% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Maryland City | B+ | 39.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% | CDC place |
| Laurel | B+ | 40.1% | 11.8% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Konterra | B+ | 36% | 16.2% | 7.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of South Laurel adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for South Laurel
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, South Laurel is better than Maryland on 7 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside South Laurel’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | South Laurel | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19%17.3–20.8 | 17.9% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10.5–12.8 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.5–16.5 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.1%37.2–45 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.5%11.2–13.7 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%32.8–37.8 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.6%31.1–36.1 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 21.8%20–23.6 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.4–12.7 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.1%4.6–5.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.5%4–4.9 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.3 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10%8.4–11.8 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.2%9–11.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25%22.6–27.7 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.1%11.3–15 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.4%40.1–46.7 | 37.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.9%10.4–13.4 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.7%74–79 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.9%57.3–62.5 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.7%87.3–90 | 89.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.1%69.5–74.5 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.7%63.5–69.8 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.9%76.8–84.7 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.7%13.8–17.6 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 36.5%33.1–40.1 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.4%23.6–29.5 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.7%19.3–24.3 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.8%17.7–22.2 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.1%10.8–13.7 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.4%9.3–11.7 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.8%13.8–17.9 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.4%23.2–27.8 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.1%10.9–13.3 | 12.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.7%11.5–14.1 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.1%3.6–4.5 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.7–5.6 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.6–8.1 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.4–4.1 | 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 South Laurel
Is South Laurel a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, South Laurel is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #173 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 57%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in South Laurel?
CDC estimates 41.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.2% and 45%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to South Laurel?
Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Ctr in Lanham, 5.7 miles in a straight line from South Laurel’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in South Laurel have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.4–13.4%), 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 South Laurel 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 South 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.