Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, West Laurel is healthier than 23%
West Laurel differs from Maryland on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for West Laurel. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Laurel
Against towns with similar incomes, West Laurel’s lead shrinks
West Laurel is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns, but 23% of the 1,903 towns with similar household incomes ($124K–$206K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
West Laurel adults report less mental distress
Frequent mental distress (12.4% vs 15%), lack of emotional support (20.6% vs 24.2%) and depression (16.4% vs 19.4%) all run below Maryland. Mind & connection ↓
Cancer runs high in West Laurel
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.2%), vs 7.6% across Maryland. Conditions ↓
Fewer West Laurel adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Maryland. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 West Laurel’s likely range.
What’s behind West Laurel’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Laurel is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns, #79 of 261 in Maryland. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 97% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 54%.
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). West Laurel’s median household income is $164,688; among the 1,903 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($124K–$206K), it’s healthier than 23%, less than its income alone would suggest.
How West Laurel adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, West Laurel does better than Maryland.
1 in 3 West 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.
Out of every 100 West Laurel adults…
West Laurel runs below MD on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7% of West Laurel adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Care in and near West Laurel
No hospital or community health center in West 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 West 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.
1.3 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of West Laurel adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
West Laurel and the towns around it
West Laurel’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Laurel | A− | 34.5% | 11.8% | 8.3% | CDC place |
| Scaggsville | A+ | 28.2% | 9.6% | 6.6% | CDC place |
| Burtonsville | A | 27.8% | 11.3% | 7.9% | CDC place |
| Konterra | B+ | 36% | 16.2% | 7.6% | CDC place |
| Laurel | B+ | 40.1% | 11.8% | 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 West Laurel adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Laurel
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Laurel is better than Maryland on 12 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside West Laurel’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Laurel | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.5%13.2–17.8 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.5%10–13.1 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.9–14 | 15% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.5%30.7–38.1 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.4–13.2 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.8%33–38.3 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.5%36.8–42.1 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27%24.7–29.2 | 25.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.3 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.2%8.4–10.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.1–6.6 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.5%4.5–6.6 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.9%5.7–8.2 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.3%6.7–10.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.1%18.1–24.1 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11.8–15.6 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.6%33.5–39.8 | 37.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7–10.5 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.9%75.4–80.2 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.5%63–67.8 | 64.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.3%90.1–92.5 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.1%74.4–79.3 | 76.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.2%69.2–75.1 | 68.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.1%75.6–84 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.4%14.4–18.4 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 31.5%28.3–35 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.6%18.1–23.3 | 24.2% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.5%9.5–13.7 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.5%8.9–12.3 | 13.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5.1–7.1 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%5–6.8 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7%5.6–8.6 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.1%21.1–27 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.8%10–13.7 | 12.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.2%8.8–11.7 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.2–6.8 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.3–4.4 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%5–6.9 | 7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.5–3.5 | 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 West Laurel
Is West Laurel a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Laurel is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #79 of 261 in Maryland. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in West Laurel?
CDC estimates 34.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.7% and 38.1%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Laurel?
Adventist Healthcare White Oak Medical Center in Silver Spring, 5.8 miles in a straight line from West Laurel’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in West Laurel have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7–10.5%), 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 West Laurel 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 West 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.