Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Wheaton is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns
Wheaton differs from Maryland on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wheaton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wheaton
1 in 6 working-age adults in Wheaton has no health insurance
16.2% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.7% across Maryland. Checkups ↓
Wheaton is behind on routine checkups
It trails Maryland on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (73.9% vs 79.2%), dentist visits (61.2% vs 64.4%), cholesterol checks (87.9% vs 89.6%) and colon screening (63.2% vs 68.2%). Checkups ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Wheaton’s lead shrinks
Wheaton is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, but 54% of the 6,940 towns with similar household incomes ($84K–$139K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Wheaton
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (20.1%), vs 15.4% across Maryland. Housing insecurity (17% vs 13.5%) is higher too. 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 Wheaton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Wheaton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wheaton is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, #125 of 261 in Maryland. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 91% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). Wheaton’s median household income is $111,478; among the 6,940 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($84K–$139K), it’s healthier than 54%, about where its income would put it.
Most Maryland towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Wheaton is healthier than 52% of graded towns, against 75% nationally.
Keeping up with care
Share of Wheaton 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.
13.3% of Wheaton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Out of every 100 Wheaton adults…
Wheaton runs below MD on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Wheaton
1 community health center in Wheaton, 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 Wheaton; ≈ 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.
12 miles of trails across 21 parks and preserves
How Wheaton adults are doing
About the same as Maryland on each measure.
1 in 3 Wheaton 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.
Wheaton and the towns around it
Wheaton’s Health Grade ranks 9th of 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheaton | A− | 29.6% | 11.7% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| Glenmont | A− | 28.8% | 11.8% | 8.6% | CDC place |
| North Bethesda | A+ | 23.6% | 8.6% | 5.8% | CDC place |
| Kemp Mill | A | 26.8% | 10.4% | 7.1% | CDC place |
| Aspen Hill | A− | 28.9% | 11.6% | 9.2% | CDC place |
| North Kensington | A+ | 26% | 9.8% | 6.9% | CDC place |
| Forest Glen | A | 26.5% | 10.1% | 7% | CDC place |
| Colesville | A | 26.4% | 12.4% | 6.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wheaton adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Wheaton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wheaton is better than Maryland on 9 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Wheaton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wheaton | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.4%18.6–22.3 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%11.1–13.4 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.7–15.5 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.6%26.4–32.9 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 11.7%10.5–12.9 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.9%28.8–33.1 | 36.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39%36.5–41.3 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 18.8%17.3–20.4 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.5–10.4 | 10.6% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.2%4.8–5.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.5–5.4 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.7–3.1 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.2%7.7–10.9 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.3%8.2–10.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 24.6%22.2–27.1 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14%12.2–15.7 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.6%33.6–39.6 | 37.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.2%14.5–18.1 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.9%71.3–76.2 | 79.2% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.2%58.7–63.6 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.9%86.5–89.2 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72%69.4–74.4 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.2%60.1–66.3 | 68.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.1%73.8–82.2 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.6%15.7–19.5 | 19.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.8%32.9–39 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.9%23.4–28.6 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.1%18–22.3 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17%15.1–19 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9%8–10.2 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.2%8.2–10.2 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.3%11.7–15 | 11.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26%23.8–28.4 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.1%10–12.3 | 12.4% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.2%11.9–14.5 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5%4.5–5.6 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%5.1–6 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%6.2–7.6 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 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 Wheaton
Is Wheaton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wheaton is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #125 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 54%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wheaton?
CDC estimates 29.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.4% and 32.9%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wheaton?
Adventist Healthcare White Oak Medical Center in Silver Spring, 4.3 miles in a straight line from Wheaton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Wheaton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.5–18.1%), 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 Wheaton 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 Wheaton.
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.