Photo: Webprog67 · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Bethesda is healthier than 47%
Bethesda trails Ohio on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bethesda. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bethesda
Bethesda is in the bottom 7% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Bethesda is healthier than only 7% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on five of the seven. Health Grade ↓
More Bethesda adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (34.2%), vs 26.9% across Ohio. Habits ↓
COPD and heart disease run high in Bethesda
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.9%), vs 8% across Ohio. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.7%), vs 7.1% across Ohio. Conditions ↓
Bethesda is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Bethesda is healthier than 7%. Against the 1,417 towns with similar household incomes ($27K–$45K), it’s healthier than 47%. Health Grade ↓
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 Ohio figure falls outside Bethesda’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Bethesda’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bethesda is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns. Fair or poor health holds the grade up (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 18% of U.S. towns); smoking pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Bethesda’s median household income is $35,900; among the 1,417 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($27K–$45K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Ohio
Share of adults, with the Ohio figure marked.
0.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Bethesda adults…
Bethesda runs above OH on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Bethesda
No hospital or community health center in Bethesda 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 Bethesda; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Bethesda adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Ohio.
How Bethesda adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Bethesda runs above Ohio.
1 in 3 Bethesda 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.
15.6% of Bethesda adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.7% across Ohio.
Bethesda and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethesda | D | 42.6% | 14.8% | 20.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bethesda adults live with a disability (Ohio 29.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bethesda
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bethesda is better than Ohio on 0 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Ohio figure falls inside Bethesda’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bethesda | OH | U.S. | vs OH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.3%20.6–28.5 | 19.4% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.3–20 | 13.9% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.2%17.9–22.8 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.6%36.9–48.7 | 37.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.8%12.9–16.9 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.8%37.1–44.5 | 37.2% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.4%36.8–44.2 | 36.7% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 34%31–37.3 | 29.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.4 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.3–10.4 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.7%7.7–9.9 | 7.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.9%9.3–12.8 | 8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.7–4.9 | 3.7% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16%13.4–18.9 | 15.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.7%17.1–24.7 | 15.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.2%29.1–39.7 | 26.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%13.7–19.5 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.9%35.3–44.6 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%6.5–11.1 | 8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.1%75.9–82.3 | 79.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.2%52.9–59.5 | 62.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.1%81.7–86.4 | 86.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80%77.3–82.5 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.6%59.5–67.5 | 65.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.4%66–78.3 | 76% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.8%25.2–32.6 | 25.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.7%29.6–39.9 | 35% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%17.3–24.5 | 21.3% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.5%12.8–20.4 | 14.1% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.4%10–15.1 | 11.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.7%8–11.4 | 8.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.9%7.4–10.6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.6%12.1–19.4 | 11.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35%30.4–39.8 | 29.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.1%14.6–20 | 13.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.8%14.4–19.4 | 13.9% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.3–9.4 | 6.8% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.1–6.9 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.3%8.7–11.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.1–5.6 | 3.8% | 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 Ohio figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Bethesda
Is Bethesda a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bethesda is healthier than 7% of U.S. towns: D for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bethesda?
CDC estimates 42.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.9% and 48.7%, against 37.1% across Ohio and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bethesda?
Barnesville Hospital Association in Barnesville, 6.4 miles in a straight line from Bethesda’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Bethesda have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.5–11.1%), against 8% across Ohio.
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 Bethesda more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bethesda.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Ohio 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.