Health · Dunkirk

Dunkirk, MD health

Dunkirk differs from Maryland on 14 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (7.5% vs 15.4%) and fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (4.5% vs 8.4%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (10.1% vs 7.6%).

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

Dunkirk’s Health Grade: A

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Dunkirk is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns and 82% of Maryland towns.

ASelf-rated healthAPhysical distressAMental distressB+ObesityA-DiabetesASmokingAExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 91%
Less healthyHealthier
Maryland towns we grade (332)Healthier than 82%
Towns with similar incomes, $112K–$187K (2,681)Healthier than 60%

Wealth explains part of the grade. Dunkirk is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Dunkirk could be anywhere from B+ 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 Dunkirk 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. Dunkirk 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 Dunkirk 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 Dunkirk adults…

36 of every 100 Dunkirk adults have high blood pressure
Maryland: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 32.6–39.2%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Dunkirk, betterDunkirk, worseToo close to callMaryland
Get no exerciseshare of adults 17.1% Dunkirk
MD 23.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 35.8% Dunkirk
MD 37.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.3% Dunkirk
MD 14.1%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 9.1% Dunkirk
MD 10.9%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%
Yearly checkup
MD 79%
69%
Dentist visit
MD 64%
91%
Cholesterol check
MD 90%
69%
Colon screening
MD 68%
80%
Mammogram
MD 81%
78%
Taking BP meds
MD 77%
1 in 19
working-age adults has no health insurance
Dunkirk 5.3% · Maryland 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection

How Dunkirk adults are doing

1 in 3Dunkirk adults feel lonely
30.6% · Maryland 34.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Dunkirk adults have been diagnosed with depression
19.1% · Maryland 19.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Dunkirk adults lack social or emotional support
19% · Maryland 24.2% · better
1 in 7Dunkirk adults are in frequent mental distress
13.5% · 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 13
Dunkirk adults worry about having enough food
7.5% · MD 15.4% · better
1 in 14
Dunkirk adults worry about keeping their housing
7.3% · MD 13.5% · better
1 in 22
Dunkirk adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.5% · MD 8.4% · better
1 in 22
Dunkirk adults lack reliable transportation
4.5% · MD 7.8% · better

5.1% of Dunkirk adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.

Disability

Living with a disability

24.4%

of Dunkirk adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs10.2%
Thinking or memory10.4%
Hearing6.1%
Errands alone5.3%
Vision3%
Dressing or bathing2.5%

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

Around Dunkirk

Dunkirk 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 Dunkirk.

Croom: 38.4% Baden: 37.8% Marlton: 43.3% Brandywine: 43.8% Queensland: 42.8% Cedarville: 38.6% Marlboro Meadows: 42.9% Aquasco: 39.7% Dunkirk: 33.4% Dunkirk Croom Baden Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Center · Clinton · 10.9 mi · 2★ MedicareH Bay Community Health - Lothian · Lothian · 6.1 mi+ Greater Baden Medical Service at Brandywine · Brandywine · 11.5 mi+
33.4%43.8%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#1 of 9towns on this map, healthiest first
Dunkirk33.4%
Baden37.8%
Croom38.4%
6 places to get careNearest ER 10.9 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Dunkirk

No hospital or community health center in Dunkirk itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERMedstar Southern Maryland Hospital CenterClinton · 10.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyCalverthealth Medical Center★★★★★ · 12.2 miDirections →
+Low-cost careOwensville Primary CareLothian · 6.1 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
6.1 mi
Owensville Primary Care
3 sites · nearest in Lothian
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
10.9 mi
Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Center
Clinton · ★★★★★
ER
11.5 mi
Greater Baden Medical Services
5 sites · nearest in Brandywine
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
12.2 mi
Calverthealth Medical Center
Prince Frederick · ★★★★★
ER
14.9 mi
University of Md Capital Region Medical Center
Upper Marlboro · ★★★★★
ER
17 mi
Adventist Healthcare Fort Washington Medical Ctr
Fort Washington · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careDunkirk is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careDunkirk is not a shortage area
! Mental healthDunkirk's county is a federal shortage area.Calvert County · need score 14 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 Dunkirk. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Dunkirk
MeasureDunkirkMarginMaryland
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure35.9%32.6–39.2%36.8%about the same
High cholesterol38.7%35.3–41.9%38.1%about the same
Obesity33.4%28.7–38.2%35.1%about the same
Arthritis28%25.2–30.9%25.8%about the same
Depression19.1%16.5–21.9%19.4%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)6.3%4.9–7.8%9.9%better
Asthma10%8.8–11.2%10.6%about the same
Cancer (not skin)10.1%9.1–11.1%7.6%worse
Diabetes10%8.6–11.6%12.5%better
COPD5.3%4.2–6.6%5.9%about the same
Heart disease5.6%4.8–6.4%5.8%about the same
Stroke2.8%2.4–3.3%3.4%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes9.1%6.9–11.7%10.9%about the same
Binge drink16.3%13.8–18.8%14.1%about the same
Get no exercise17.1%13.8–20.7%23.6%better
Sleep under 7 hours35.8%31.1–40.5%37.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup80.1%77.2–82.7%79.2%about the same
Dentist visit68.7%65.5–71.7%64.4%better
Cholesterol check91.2%89.7–92.7%89.6%better
Colon screening68.9%64.6–72.9%68.2%about the same
Mammogram80.2%73.9–85.3%80.7%about the same
Taking BP meds78.3%75.5–80.7%76.6%about the same
No health insurance5.3%3.9–6.9%8.7%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely30.6%26.2–35%34.3%about the same
Lack emotional support19%15.8–22.5%24.2%better
Frequent mental distress13.5%11.6–15.4%15%about the same
Fair or poor health13.8%11.3–16.7%17.9%better
Frequent physical distress11%9.3–12.8%12%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity7.5%5.8–9.8%15.4%better
Housing insecurity7.3%5.8–9.1%13.5%better
Utility shut-off threat4.5%3.7–5.5%8.4%better
No reliable transportation4.5%3.7–5.5%7.8%better
Receive SNAP5.1%3.8–6.8%11.8%
Disability
Any disability24.4%20.7–28.2%26.4%
Walking or climbing stairs10.2%8.3–12.2%12.4%
Thinking or memory10.4%8.6–12.3%12.2%
Hearing6.1%5.3–7%5.6%
Vision3%2.5–3.6%4.5%
Dressing or bathing2.5%2.1–3%3.5%
Errands alone5.3%4.4–6.3%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 Dunkirk door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Maryland figure falls inside it, we don't call Dunkirk better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Dunkirk 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/19 · 2025-01-01