Wye House · Photo: Historic American Buildings Survey · Public domainOn CDC estimates, St. Michaels is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns
St. Michaels differs from Maryland on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for St. Michaels. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. Michaels
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in St. Michaels
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12%), vs 7.6% across Maryland. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.8%), vs 5.8% across Maryland. Arthritis is also above the state: 32.8%, vs 25.8% across Maryland. In all, St. Michaels runs above Maryland on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 40% of residents are 65 or older (Maryland 17%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in St. Michaels, and more people treating it
41.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Maryland 36.8%), but 82.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 76.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
St. Michaels keeps up with checkups
It beats Maryland on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.5% vs 79.2%) and dentist visits (69.9% vs 64.4%). Checkups ↓
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 St. Michaels’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind St. Michaels’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Michaels is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 92% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 39%).
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). St. Michaels’ median household income is $78,265; among the 10,826 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$98K), it’s healthier than 88%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 St. Michaels adults…
St. Michaels runs above MD on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
St. Michaels is an older town: 40% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Maryland. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in St. Michaels as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of St. Michaels adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Care in and near St. Michaels
1 community health center in St. Michaels, 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 St. Michaels; ≈ 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.
0.3 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How St. Michaels adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, St. Michaels does better than Maryland.
1 in 3 St. Michaels 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% of St. Michaels adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
St. Michaels and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Michaels | A− | 30.1% | 12.8% | 10.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of St. Michaels adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. Michaels
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. Michaels is better than Maryland on 12 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside St. Michaels’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. Michaels | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.2%14.2–20.5 | 17.9% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.9%11–15 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.7–15.5 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.1%25.4–35.3 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11–14.7 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41.5%37.8–45 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42%38.5–45.5 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.8%29.7–36 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–12.1 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12%10.9–13.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%6.7–8.9 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.4%5.8–9.1 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.7 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10%8.2–12 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.2%7.9–12.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.4%18.5–26.6 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.8%11.5–16.3 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5%28–37.2 | 37.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.2%4.8–8.3 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.5%80.9–85.9 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.9%66.8–72.9 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.2%90.7–93.4 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.2%79.7–84.3 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 77.5%74–80.7 | 68.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.3%73.4–84.3 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%17.8–23.6 | 19.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.3%27.1–36.1 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.2%17.1–23.7 | 24.2% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.7%8.2–13.5 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.4%7.6–11.6 | 13.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5–7.3 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%4.9–7 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9%6.8–11.6 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.7%24.7–32.9 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.5%11.9–17.3 | 12.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.1%9.3–13 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%6.9–9.1 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.7–5.2 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%5.8–8.4 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3–4.2 | 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 St. Michaels
Is St. Michaels a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Michaels is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 88%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in St. Michaels?
CDC estimates 30.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.4% and 35.3%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to St. Michaels?
University of MD Shore Medical Center at Easton in Easton, 7.9 miles in a straight line from St. Michaels’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in St. Michaels have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.8–8.3%), 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 St. Michaels 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 St. Michaels.
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.