Health · Fulton

Fulton, MD health

Fulton differs from Maryland on 25 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (2.7% vs 9.9%) and fewer adults facing food insecurity (5.8% vs 15.4%). Where it trails the state: fewer adults treating high blood pressure (72.7% vs 76.6%).

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

Fulton’s Health Grade: A+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Fulton is healthier than 100% of U.S. towns and 98% of Maryland towns.

A+Self-rated healthA+Physical distressA+Mental distressAObesityA+DiabetesA+SmokingA+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 100%
Less healthyHealthier
Maryland towns we grade (332)Healthier than 98%
Towns with similar incomes, $167K–$278K (662)Healthier than 90%

About what its income would suggest. Fulton does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

High confidence. Even at the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Fulton stays an 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 Fulton 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. Fulton 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 Fulton 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 Fulton adults…

29 of every 100 Fulton adults have high blood pressure
Maryland: 37 in 100 · better · margin 26.5–32.1%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Fulton, betterFulton, worseToo close to callMaryland
Get no exerciseshare of adults 12.1% Fulton
MD 23.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 34.8% Fulton
MD 37.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults 14.5% Fulton
MD 14.1%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 5.3% Fulton
MD 10.9%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

80%
Yearly checkup
MD 79%
78%
Dentist visit
MD 64%
93%
Cholesterol check
MD 90%
67%
Colon screening
MD 68%
84%
Mammogram
MD 81%
73%
Taking BP meds
MD 77%
1 in 27
working-age adults has no health insurance
Fulton 3.7% · Maryland 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection

How Fulton adults are doing

1 in 3Fulton adults feel lonely
28.6% · Maryland 34.3% · better
1 in 6Fulton adults have been diagnosed with depression
17.2% · Maryland 19.4% · too close to call
1 in 5Fulton adults lack social or emotional support
19.4% · Maryland 24.2% · better
1 in 9Fulton adults are in frequent mental distress
10.9% · Maryland 15% · better
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 17
Fulton adults worry about having enough food
5.8% · MD 15.4% · better
1 in 16
Fulton adults worry about keeping their housing
6.1% · MD 13.5% · better
1 in 26
Fulton adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
3.8% · MD 8.4% · better
1 in 27
Fulton adults lack reliable transportation
3.7% · MD 7.8% · better

3.4% of Fulton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.

Disability

Living with a disability

15.5%

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

Walking or climbing stairs6%
Thinking or memory7.1%
Hearing3.6%
Errands alone3.4%
Vision2.1%
Dressing or bathing1.6%

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

Around Fulton

Fulton 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 Fulton.

Scaggsville: 28.2% Columbia: 32.2% North Laurel: 33% Burtonsville: 27.8% West Laurel: 34.5% Fulton: 26.9% Fulton Scaggsville Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center · Columbia · 4.5 mi · 3★ MedicareH Howard County Health Department - Wic - Dental · Columbia · 5.7 mi+
26.9%34.5%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#1 of 6towns on this map, healthiest first
Fulton26.9%
Scaggsville28.2%
6 places to get careNearest ER 4.5 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 Fulton

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

HNearest ERJohns Hopkins Howard County Medical CenterColumbia · 4.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyAdventist Healthcare White Oak Medical Center★★★★★ · 7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careMobilemed East Montgomery Service CenterSilver Spring · 5.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.5 mi
Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center
Columbia · ★★★★★
ER
5.4 mi
Mobilemed East Montgomery Service Center
Silver Spring · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
5.7 mi
Chase Brexton Health Services
3 sites · nearest in Columbia
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
7 mi
Adventist Healthcare White Oak Medical Center
Silver Spring · ★★★★★
ER
7.8 mi
Medstar Montgomery Medical Center
Olney · ★★★★★
ER
11.6 mi
Holy Cross Hospital
Silver Spring · ★★★★★
✓ Primary careFulton is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careFulton is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthFulton is not a shortage area

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 Fulton. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Fulton
MeasureFultonMarginMaryland
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure29.2%26.5–32.1%36.8%better
High cholesterol37.5%34.3–40.7%38.1%about the same
Obesity26.9%23.3–30.9%35.1%better
Arthritis20.5%18.4–22.7%25.8%better
Depression17.2%15–19.5%19.4%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)2.7%2.1–3.3%9.9%better
Asthma8.6%7.6–9.7%10.6%better
Cancer (not skin)6.8%6.2–7.5%7.6%better
Diabetes8%6.9–9.2%12.5%better
COPD2.6%2.2–3.1%5.9%better
Heart disease3.4%3–3.8%5.8%better
Stroke1.8%1.6–2%3.4%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes5.3%4.3–6.7%10.9%better
Binge drink14.5%12.4–16.9%14.1%about the same
Get no exercise12.1%10.1–14.4%23.6%better
Sleep under 7 hours34.8%30.9–39%37.7%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup80.4%77.5–82.9%79.2%about the same
Dentist visit78.1%75.8–80.4%64.4%better
Cholesterol check92.9%91.8–93.9%89.6%better
Colon screening66.5%62.7–70.1%68.2%about the same
Mammogram83.8%78.9–87.9%80.7%about the same
Taking BP meds72.7%69.3–75.8%76.6%worse
No health insurance3.7%3–4.5%8.7%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely28.6%25–32.2%34.3%better
Lack emotional support19.4%16.7–22.2%24.2%better
Frequent mental distress10.9%9.6–12.4%15%better
Fair or poor health8.8%7.5–10.2%17.9%better
Frequent physical distress7.5%6.5–8.6%12%better
Everyday needs
Food insecurity5.8%4.6–7.3%15.4%better
Housing insecurity6.1%5–7.3%13.5%better
Utility shut-off threat3.8%3.2–4.5%8.4%better
No reliable transportation3.7%3.2–4.4%7.8%better
Receive SNAP3.4%2.6–4.5%11.8%
Disability
Any disability15.5%13.4–17.8%26.4%
Walking or climbing stairs6%5.1–7%12.4%
Thinking or memory7.1%6.1–8.2%12.2%
Hearing3.6%3.2–4.1%5.6%
Vision2.1%1.9–2.4%4.5%
Dressing or bathing1.6%1.4–1.8%3.5%
Errands alone3.4%3–4%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 Fulton door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Maryland figure falls inside it, we don't call Fulton better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Fulton 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