Health · Chestertown

Chestertown, MD health

Chestertown differs from Maryland on 10 of 40 measures. It has more adults screened for colon cancer (72.7% vs 68.2%) and more adults treating high blood pressure (79% vs 76.6%). Where it trails the state: more adults with heart disease (7.8% vs 5.8%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Chestertown
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Chestertown’s Health Grade: B

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Chestertown is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, and than 92% of towns with similar incomes.

B-Self-rated healthB+Physical distressB-Mental distressB+ObesityC+DiabetesA-SmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 62%
Less healthyHealthier
Maryland towns we grade (332)Healthier than 35%
Towns with similar incomes, $41K–$68K (6,674)Healthier than 92%

Better than its income would suggest. Chestertown is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is B.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Chestertown could be anywhere from C to A.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Maryland ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Chestertown with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Chestertown uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Chestertown compares with Maryland

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Chestertown adults…

40 of every 100 Chestertown adults have high blood pressure
Maryland: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 36–43.3%

Bars show Chestertown; the black tick is Maryland. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Chestertown, betterChestertown, worseToo close to callMaryland
Get no exerciseshare of adults 24.8% Chestertown
MD 23.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 35.2% Chestertown
MD 37.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15% Chestertown
MD 14.1%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 10.6% Chestertown
MD 10.9%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Chestertown adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.

80%
Yearly checkup
MD 79%
58%
Dentist visit
MD 64%
86%
Cholesterol check
MD 90%
73%
Colon screening
MD 68%
80%
Mammogram
MD 81%
79%
Taking BP meds
MD 77%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Chestertown 8.3% · Maryland 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection

How Chestertown adults are doing

1 in 3Chestertown adults feel lonely
34.3% · Maryland 34.3% · too close to call
1 in 4Chestertown adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.2% · Maryland 19.4% · worse
1 in 4Chestertown adults lack social or emotional support
22.9% · Maryland 24.2% · too close to call
1 in 6Chestertown adults are in frequent mental distress
16.9% · Maryland 15% · too close to call
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 7
Chestertown adults worry about having enough food
14.8% · MD 15.4% · about the same
1 in 9
Chestertown adults worry about keeping their housing
11.6% · MD 13.5% · about the same
1 in 13
Chestertown adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.7% · MD 8.4% · about the same
1 in 12
Chestertown adults lack reliable transportation
8.6% · MD 7.8% · about the same

12.4% of Chestertown adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.

Disability

Living with a disability

31.2%

of Chestertown adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.1%
Thinking or memory14.7%
Hearing8%
Errands alone9.1%
Vision5.5%
Dressing or bathing4%

Black tick: Maryland. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Chestertown

1 hospital and 1 community health center in Chestertown, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERUniversity of Md Shore Medical Ctr at ChestertownChestertown · 0.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMedstar Franklin Square Medical Center★★★★★ · 23.6 miDirections →
+Low-cost careChoptank Community Health SystemChestertown · 0.6 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.5 mi
University of Md Shore Medical Ctr at Chestertown
Chestertown · ★★★★★
ERIn Chestertown
0.6 mi
Choptank Community Health System
4 sites · nearest in Chestertown
Sliding-scale feesIn Chestertown
Directions to nearest
22.7 mi
Beacon Health Center
Havre De Grace · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
23.1 mi
VA Maryland Healthcare System - Perry Point
Perry Point · not rated
VA
23.6 mi
Medstar Franklin Square Medical Center
Rosedale · ★★★★★
ER
25.4 mi
Umd Upper Chesapeake Medical Center
Bel Air · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careChestertown's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME - Kent County · need score 17 of 25
✓ Dental careChestertown is not a shortage area
! Mental healthChestertown's county is a federal shortage area.Kent County · need score 12 of 25

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 Chestertown. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Chestertown
MeasureChestertownMarginMaryland
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure39.8%36–43.3%36.8%about the same
High cholesterol38.1%34.3–41.8%38.1%about the same
Obesity33.7%27.6–39.8%35.1%about the same
Arthritis30.2%27–33.1%25.8%worse
Depression23.2%19.5–26.7%19.4%worse
Lost all teeth (65+)12.1%9.9–14.6%9.9%about the same
Asthma11.2%9.8–12.7%10.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.8%8.7–10.8%7.6%worse
Diabetes12.9%11–14.9%12.5%about the same
COPD7.8%6.3–9.5%5.9%worse
Heart disease7.8%6.7–8.9%5.8%worse
Stroke4.2%3.6–4.9%3.4%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes10.6%8.6–12.9%10.9%about the same
Binge drink15%12.4–18%14.1%about the same
Get no exercise24.8%20.4–29.6%23.6%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours35.2%29.9–40.7%37.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup79.8%76.4–83%79.2%about the same
Dentist visit58.3%54.7–61.8%64.4%worse
Cholesterol check86.2%83.3–88.5%89.6%worse
Colon screening72.7%68.5–76.7%68.2%better
Mammogram79.6%73.1–85.1%80.7%about the same
Taking BP meds79%76.8–81%76.6%better
No health insurance8.3%6.4–10.8%8.7%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely34.3%29.4–39.2%34.3%about the same
Lack emotional support22.9%19.3–26.7%24.2%about the same
Frequent mental distress16.9%14.5–19.5%15%about the same
Fair or poor health19.5%16.3–23.2%17.9%about the same
Frequent physical distress12.9%11–15.1%12%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity14.8%11.9–18.5%15.4%about the same
Housing insecurity11.6%9.6–13.8%13.5%about the same
Utility shut-off threat7.7%6.4–8.9%8.4%about the same
No reliable transportation8.6%7.1–10.4%7.8%about the same
Receive SNAP12.4%9.9–15.4%11.8%
Disability
Any disability31.2%26.5–36.1%26.4%
Walking or climbing stairs15.1%12.5–17.9%12.4%
Thinking or memory14.7%12.1–17.5%12.2%
Hearing8%6.9–9.2%5.6%
Vision5.5%4.6–6.5%4.5%
Dressing or bathing4%3.3–4.7%3.5%
Errands alone9.1%7.5–10.9%7%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Chestertown door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Maryland figure falls inside it, we don't call Chestertown better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Chestertown directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Maryland figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

The door’s open

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Chestertown, MDView boundary

Nearby

All towns & citiesExplore the map
Loading boundary…

Chestertown is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01