Photo: Andrew Bossi · CC BY-SA 2.5Within Maryland, White Oak is healthier than 39% of graded towns
White Oak differs from Maryland on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for White Oak. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in White Oak
Making ends meet is harder in White Oak
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.8%), vs 15.4% across Maryland. Utility shut-off threats (13.1% vs 8.4%) and housing insecurity (20.6% vs 13.5%) are higher too. 19.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Maryland sets a high bar
White Oak is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, but only 39% of the 261 Maryland towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
1 in 8 working-age adults in White Oak has no health insurance
12.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.7% across Maryland. Checkups ↓
Cancer and arthritis are less common in White Oak
White Oak runs below Maryland on cancer (5.1% vs 7.6%) and arthritis (20.8% vs 25.8%). A young population is part of it: only 13% of residents are 65 or older (Maryland 17%). 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 White Oak’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind White Oak’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, White Oak is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, #160 of 261 in Maryland. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 85% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 36%).
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). White Oak’s median household income is $83,370; among the 10,498 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$104K), it’s healthier than 68%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.6% of White Oak adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Keeping up with care
Share of White Oak adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Out of every 100 White Oak adults…
White Oak runs below MD on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of White Oak residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Maryland. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near White Oak
No hospital or community health center in White Oak 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 White Oak; ≈ 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.
2.6 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How White Oak adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, White Oak runs above Maryland.
4 in 10 White Oak 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.
White Oak and the towns around it
White Oak’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Oak | B+ | 34.2% | 12.8% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Calverton | B+ | 31.7% | 13.6% | 8.6% | CDC place |
| Kemp Mill | A | 26.8% | 10.4% | 7.1% | CDC place |
| Colesville | A | 26.4% | 12.4% | 6.9% | CDC place |
| Burnt Mills | A− | 31.1% | 12.1% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| Hillandale | B | 33% | 14% | 10% | CDC place |
| Fairland | A− | 31.7% | 11.8% | 9% | CDC place |
| Beltsville | B | 36.8% | 13.9% | 9.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of White Oak adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for White Oak
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, White Oak is better than Maryland on 5 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside White Oak’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | White Oak | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.2%19.1–23.5 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%11.1–13.6 | 12% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.8–16.8 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.2%30.6–37.8 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11.5–14.1 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.3%33.9–38.7 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%35.4–40.2 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.8%19.1–22.6 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.1%10–12.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.1%4.6–5.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.5–5.5 | 5.8% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.2–3.8 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.9%7.4–10.6 | 9.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.4%9–12.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.8%22.2–27.7 | 23.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.2%10.6–13.7 | 14.1% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41%37.9–44.1 | 37.7% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.3%10.5–14.3 | 8.7% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.6%75.3–79.6 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59%56.5–61.4 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.8%87.5–90.1 | 89.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.9%71.5–76.2 | 76.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66%63–68.9 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.7%76.6–84.4 | 80.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.6%15.7–19.6 | 19.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.1%33.9–40.4 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.5%24.7–30.6 | 24.2% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.8%20.7–26.9 | 15.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.6%18–23.4 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.1%11.4–15 | 8.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.4%9.9–12.9 | 7.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.6%16.8–22.6 | 11.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27%24.5–29.6 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.3%11–13.7 | 12.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%12.1–15.2 | 12.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.4–6.6 | 4.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%7.1–9 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.8–4.7 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 White Oak
Is White Oak a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, White Oak is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #160 of 261 in Maryland. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 68%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in White Oak?
CDC estimates 34.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.6% and 37.8%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to White Oak?
Adventist Healthcare White Oak Medical Center in Silver Spring, 1.6 miles in a straight line from White Oak’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in White Oak have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.5–14.3%), 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 White Oak more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in White Oak.
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.