Photo: Aspifi · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Towson is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns
Towson differs from Maryland on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Towson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Towson
Depression is more common in Towson
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (23.1%), vs 19.4% across Maryland. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 17.6%, vs 15% across Maryland. Mind & connection ↓
Towson has a five-star hospital
University of MD St. Joseph Medical Center is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room, one of two five-star hospitals in town. Getting care ↓
Health varies a lot right around Towson
Grades next door run from Mays Chapel (A+) to Baltimore (C). Towson is an A−. Around town ↓
Diabetes and stroke are less common in Towson
Towson runs below Maryland on four chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (9.4% vs 12.5%), stroke (2.6% vs 3.4%) and high blood pressure (30% vs 36.8%). 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 Towson’s likely range.
What’s behind Towson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Towson is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns, #89 of 261 in Maryland. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 94% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 40%).
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). Towson’s median household income is $101,320; among the 8,393 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$127K), it’s healthier than 76%, about where its income would put it.
Most Maryland towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Towson is healthier than 66% of graded towns, against 82% nationally.
How Towson adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Towson runs above Maryland.
1 in 3 Towson 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.
Care in and near Towson
2 hospitals in Towson, 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 Towson; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Towson adults…
Towson runs below MD on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Towson and the towns around it
Towson’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Towson | A− | 30.4% | 9.4% | 8.9% | CDC place |
| Baltimore | C | 38.1% | 14.4% | 16.1% | CDC place |
| Pikesville | A− | 31% | 12.6% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Parkville | B | 35.2% | 11.9% | 11.6% | CDC place |
| Hampton | A | 27.8% | 11% | 7.3% | CDC place |
| Mays Chapel | A+ | 26.5% | 9.9% | 6.7% | CDC place |
| Lutherville | A | 27.9% | 10.6% | 7.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maryland
Share of adults, with the Maryland figure marked.
30 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Towson 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.
13.4% of Towson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Towson adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Towson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Towson is better than Maryland on 15 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Towson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Towson | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.1%14.6–17.7 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.3%9.4–11.4 | 12% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%16.1–19.2 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.4%27.3–33.7 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.4%8.5–10.3 | 12.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30%28–32.1 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.1%32–36.3 | 38.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22.9%21.3–24.5 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11%10–12.1 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%7.1–8.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.5–5.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.7 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.1%6.8–9.6 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.9%7.8–10 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22.8%20.6–25 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%12.6–16.3 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.2%31.3–37.5 | 37.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%6.4–8.4 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.4%76.2–80.7 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.8%61.5–66.2 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%83.6–86.6 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.8%69.8–73.8 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.6%68.7–74.5 | 68.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.6%76.3–84.5 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%20.9–25.3 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35.2%32–38.4 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.7%20.3–25.2 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16%14.4–17.8 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.6%11.2–14.1 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.4–9.4 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.8%8.7–10.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.4%11.8–15 | 11.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.4%23.3–27.7 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.6%8.7–10.6 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.8%12.6–15.2 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%4–4.7 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.6–3 | 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 Towson
Is Towson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Towson is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #89 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 76%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Towson?
CDC estimates 30.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.3% and 33.7%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Towson?
University of MD St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Towson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Towson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–8.4%), 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 Towson 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 Towson.
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.