On CDC estimates, Willards is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns
Willards trails Maryland on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Willards. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Willards
Smoking is more common in Willards
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (17.7%), vs 10.9% across Maryland. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Willards
52.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.4% across Maryland. Among those 65 and older, 12.5% have lost all their teeth (Maryland 9.9%). Checkups ↓
Mental distress runs high in Willards
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (19.2%), vs 15% across Maryland. Depression is above the state too: 24.6%, vs 19.4% across Maryland. Mind & connection ↓
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 Willards’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Willards’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Willards is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 59% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Willards’ median household income is $75,333; among the 10,842 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$94K), it’s healthier than 21%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maryland
Share of adults, with the Maryland figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Willards adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
How Willards adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Willards runs above Maryland.
1 in 3 Willards 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 Willards adults…
Willards runs above MD on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 9% of Willards residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Maryland. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Willards
No hospital or community health center in Willards 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 Willards; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.7% of Willards adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Willards and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willards | C | 41.2% | 11.5% | 17.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Willards adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Willards
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Willards is better than Maryland on 0 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Maryland figure falls inside Willards’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Willards | MD | U.S. | vs MD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.7%18.7–25.3 | 17.9% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%12.8–16.5 | 12% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.2%17–21.4 | 15% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.2%36.9–45.8 | 35.1% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.5%10.1–13 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.8%32–37.7 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.5%36.6–42.4 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.6%26.1–31 | 25.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%10–12.5 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%6.8–8.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.4–6.9 | 5.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.2%7–9.7 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.4%3–3.9 | 3.4% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.5%10.2–14.9 | 9.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.7%14.6–20.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.9%25.1–33.1 | 23.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%14.2–19.2 | 14.1% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.1%32.2–40.1 | 37.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10%8–12.7 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.3%75.5–81.2 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.7%49.6–55.8 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.7%84.5–88.7 | 89.6% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.8%73–78.4 | 76.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.1%61.2–68.8 | 68.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.4%68–79.8 | 80.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.6%21.8–27.6 | 19.4% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 34.6%30.6–38.6 | 34.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%21–27.7 | 24.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.3%13.1–19.7 | 15.4% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.2%10.9–15.6 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.9%7.5–10.3 | 8.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.6%7.2–10 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.7%11.7–17.9 | 11.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.2%25.7–33 | 26.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.9%11.8–16 | 12.4% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.2%13.9–18.7 | 12.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.4–6.9 | 5.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.4–5.8 | 4.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%7.7–10.4 | 7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.5–4.8 | 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 Willards
Is Willards a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Willards is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 21%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Willards?
CDC estimates 41.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.9% and 45.8%, against 35.1% across Maryland and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Willards?
Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, 8.5 miles in a straight line from Willards’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Willards have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8–12.7%), 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 Willards more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Willards.
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.