On CDC estimates, West Ocean City is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
West Ocean City differs from Maryland on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for West Ocean City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Ocean City
Binge drinking is the habit West Ocean City doesn’t win on
18.2% of adults binge drink, vs 14.1% across Maryland. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in West Ocean City
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11%), vs 7.6% across Maryland. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.3%), vs 25.8% across Maryland. In all, West Ocean City runs above Maryland on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
West Ocean City is short on dental care and mental health care
West Ocean City’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
West Ocean City keeps up with checkups
It beats Maryland on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (70.5% vs 64.4%) and cholesterol checks (91.1% vs 89.6%). 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 West Ocean City’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind West Ocean City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Ocean City is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #100 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 86% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 59%.
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 Ocean City’s median household income is $97,165; among the 8,994 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($73K–$121K), 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 West Ocean City is healthier than 62% of graded towns, against 80% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maryland
Share of adults, with the Maryland figure marked.
0.8 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 West Ocean City adults…
West Ocean City runs below MD on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of West Ocean City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Care in and near West Ocean City
No hospital or community health center in West Ocean City 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 Ocean City; ≈ 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).
How West Ocean City adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, West Ocean City does better than Maryland.
3 in 10 West Ocean City 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.
6.7% of West Ocean City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
West Ocean City and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Ocean City | A− | 31.4% | 11.5% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| Ocean Pines | A− | 30.2% | 13.1% | 10% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of West Ocean City adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Ocean City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Ocean City is better than Maryland on 13 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside West Ocean City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Ocean City | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.6%13.5–18.1 | 17.9% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.7%11.2–14.3 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.8–16.3 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.4%27.1–36.4 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.5%10.2–13.2 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.8%34.5–41.2 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.6%37.2–44.2 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.3%28.5–34.3 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11%10–12.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.8%5.8–7.9 | 5.9% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.2%5.8–8.7 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.3%9.4–13.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.2%19–25.8 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.2%15.5–21.3 | 14.1% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.5%23.8–31.5 | 37.7% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.9%4.7–7.1 | 8.7% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.8%79.1–84.5 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.5%67.7–73.3 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.1%89.7–92.4 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.5%76.7–82 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.4%69.7–76.8 | 68.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.2%73.6–84.1 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%18.6–24.2 | 19.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.5%25.7–33.6 | 34.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.6%15.9–21.6 | 24.2% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.7%7.2–10.6 | 15.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.8%6.5–9.2 | 13.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5%4.2–5.8 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.1%4.4–5.9 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.7%5.4–8.1 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.8%22.7–29.3 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.5%10.8–14.4 | 12.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.1%9.7–12.8 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.4–8 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.3–4.2 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.6–7.4 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.7–3.5 | 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 Ocean City
Is West Ocean City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Ocean City is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #100 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 West Ocean City?
CDC estimates 31.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.1% and 36.4%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Ocean City?
Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, 5.4 miles in a straight line from West Ocean City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in West Ocean City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.7–7.1%), 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 Ocean City 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 Ocean City.
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.