Damascus, MD health
Damascus differs from Maryland on 21 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (6.1% vs 9.9%) and fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (5.6% vs 8.4%). Where it trails the state: fewer adults getting a yearly checkup (75.6% vs 79.2%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for DamascusDamascus’s Health Grade: A
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Damascus is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns and 89% of Maryland towns.
Wealth explains part of the grade. Damascus is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.
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 Damascus 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. Damascus 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.
How Damascus 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
Habits
Care & screenings
Mind & connection
Everyday needs
Disability
Out of every 100 Damascus adults…
Bars show Damascus; the black tick is Maryland. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
MD 23.6%
MD 37.7%
MD 14.1%
MD 10.9%
Keeping up with care
Share of Damascus adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
How Damascus adults are doing
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.2% of Damascus adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Living with a disability
of Damascus adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Black tick: Maryland. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Damascus and the towns around it
Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Damascus.
Obesity
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.
Care in and near Damascus
No hospital or community health center in Damascus 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 Damascus. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
All 40 measures for Damascus
| Measure | Damascus | Margin | Maryland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 30.2% | 28–32.4% | 36.8% | better |
| High cholesterol | 40.5% | 37.9–42.8% | 38.1% | about the same |
| Obesity | 26.8% | 23.8–29.8% | 35.1% | better |
| Arthritis | 21.4% | 19.6–23.2% | 25.8% | better |
| Depression | 20% | 18–22.1% | 19.4% | about the same |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 6.1% | 5–7.3% | 9.9% | better |
| Asthma | 9.8% | 8.8–10.8% | 10.6% | about the same |
| Cancer (not skin) | 7.6% | 7–8.2% | 7.6% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 9.3% | 8.3–10.4% | 12.5% | better |
| COPD | 4.8% | 4.2–5.5% | 5.9% | better |
| Heart disease | 4.9% | 4.4–5.4% | 5.8% | better |
| Stroke | 2.6% | 2.4–2.8% | 3.4% | better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.3% | 7.1–9.6% | 10.9% | better |
| Binge drink | 15.5% | 13.6–17.5% | 14.1% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 17.8% | 15.8–20% | 23.6% | better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9% | 30.1–35.8% | 37.7% | better |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 75.6% | 73.1–77.9% | 79.2% | worse |
| Dentist visit | 70.1% | 67.9–72.2% | 64.4% | better |
| Cholesterol check | 90.3% | 89–91.5% | 89.6% | about the same |
| Colon screening | 70% | 67.1–72.9% | 68.2% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 79.8% | 75.6–83.6% | 80.7% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 73.7% | 70.9–76.2% | 76.6% | worse |
| No health insurance | 8.3% | 7.1–9.5% | 8.7% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 32.7% | 29.8–35.7% | 34.3% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 21.2% | 19–23.6% | 24.2% | better |
| Frequent mental distress | 13.5% | 12.2–14.9% | 15% | better |
| Fair or poor health | 14.8% | 13.2–16.6% | 17.9% | better |
| Frequent physical distress | 11% | 9.8–12.2% | 12% | about the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 11% | 9.4–12.6% | 15.4% | better |
| Housing insecurity | 10% | 8.7–11.4% | 13.5% | better |
| Utility shut-off threat | 5.6% | 4.9–6.4% | 8.4% | better |
| No reliable transportation | 5.8% | 5.1–6.5% | 7.8% | better |
| Receive SNAP | 7.2% | 6–8.4% | 11.8% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.1% | 19.9–24.3% | 26.4% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 9% | 8–10.3% | 12.4% | |
| Thinking or memory | 11% | 9.8–12.3% | 12.2% | |
| Hearing | 5% | 4.5–5.5% | 5.6% | |
| Vision | 3.6% | 3.2–4% | 4.5% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 2.7% | 2.4–3% | 3.5% | |
| Errands alone | 5.6% | 5–6.3% | 7% | |
How CDC estimates town health
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.