Health · Ridgely
Ridgely, MD health
Ridgely differs from Maryland on 10 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more smokers (16% vs 10.9%) and more adults with COPD (8.1% vs 5.9%).
CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for RidgelyTownTapestry Health GradeNew
C+
Ridgely’s Health Grade: C+
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Ridgely is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns, and than 53% of towns with similar incomes.
C+Self-rated healthB-Physical distressCMental distressC-ObesityB-DiabetesC+SmokingC+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 36%
Less healthyHealthier
Maryland towns we grade (332)Healthier than 16%
Towns with similar incomes, $47K–$78K (8,608)Healthier than 53%
Better than its income would suggest. Ridgely is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C+.
These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Ridgely could be anywhere from D to B+.
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 Ridgely 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. Ridgely 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 Ridgely 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
40.2% have obesity
0 better8 close4 worse
Habits
26.7% get no exercise
0 better3 close1 worse
Care & screenings
78% had a checkup
0 better4 close3 worse
Mind & connection
35.7% feel lonely
0 better3 close2 worse
Everyday needs
17.5% face food insecurity
0 better5 close0 worse
Disability
31.3% have a disability
7 measures · shown without a better/worse judgment
Chronic conditions
Out of every 100 Ridgely adults…
38 of every 100 Ridgely adults have high blood pressure
Maryland: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 34.2–41.3%
Bars show Ridgely; the black tick is Maryland. Tap a condition to see it as people.
Habits
Everyday habits, side by side with the state
Ridgely, betterRidgely, worseToo close to callMaryland
Get no exerciseshare of adults
26.7% Ridgely
MD 23.6%
MD 23.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults
39.7% Ridgely
MD 37.7%
MD 37.7%
Binge drinkshare of adults
15.1% Ridgely
MD 14.1%
MD 14.1%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults
16% Ridgely
MD 10.9%
MD 10.9%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings
Keeping up with care
Share of Ridgely adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maryland.
Yearly checkup
MD 79%Dentist visit
MD 64%Cholesterol check
MD 90%Colon screening
MD 68%Mammogram
MD 81%Taking BP meds
MD 77%1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Ridgely 10.3% · Maryland 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection
How Ridgely adults are doing
1 in 3Ridgely adults feel lonely
35.7% · Maryland 34.3% · too close to call
1 in 4Ridgely adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.6% · Maryland 19.4% · worse
1 in 4Ridgely adults lack social or emotional support
25.2% · Maryland 24.2% · too close to call
1 in 5Ridgely adults are in frequent mental distress
18.4% · Maryland 15% · worse
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 6
Ridgely adults worry about having enough food
17.5% · MD 15.4% · about the same
1 in 7
Ridgely adults worry about keeping their housing
14.7% · MD 13.5% · about the same
1 in 11
Ridgely adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.1% · MD 8.4% · about the same
1 in 11
Ridgely adults lack reliable transportation
8.7% · MD 7.8% · about the same
14.6% of Ridgely adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.8% across Maryland.
Disability
Living with a disability
31.3%
of Ridgely adults live with a disability (Maryland 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Walking or climbing stairs14.6%
Thinking or memory16.1%
Hearing6.6%
Errands alone8.9%
Vision5.3%
Dressing or bathing4.1%
Black tick: Maryland. Shown without a better/worse judgment.
Getting care
Care in and near Ridgely
No hospital or community health center in Ridgely itself. These are the nearest.
HNearest ERUniversity of Md Shore Medical Center at EastonEaston · 16.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careChoptank Community Health SystemDenton · 5.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5.4 mi
Choptank Community Health System
8 sites · nearest in Denton
Migrant Camps on Upper Eastern Shore (15 Camps)Denton · 5.4 mi
Choptank Community Health SystemDenton · 5.4 mi
Women, Infants, and Children (Wic) Caroline CountyDenton · 5.9 mi
Denton Medical CenterDenton · 6.2 mi
Goldsboro Medical and Dental CenterGoldsboro · 7.7 mi
Sew Friel Migrant CampQueenstown · 10.2 mi
Women, Infants, and Children (Wic) Talbot CountyEaston · 16.1 mi
Easton Health CenterEaston · 16.3 mi
20.7 mi
University of Md Shore Medical Ctr at Chestertown
Chestertown · ★★★★★
Nothing matches.
! Primary careRidgely's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Caroline County · need score 17 of 25
✓ Dental careRidgely is not a shortage area
! Mental healthRidgely's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Caroline County · need score 16 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 Ridgely. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
All 40 measures for Ridgely
| Measure | Ridgely | Margin | Maryland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 37.8% | 34.2–41.3% | 36.8% | about the same |
| High cholesterol | 38.8% | 35–42.3% | 38.1% | about the same |
| Obesity | 40.2% | 34.4–45.8% | 35.1% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 30.5% | 27.4–33.4% | 25.8% | worse |
| Depression | 24.6% | 21.3–27.8% | 19.4% | worse |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 11.6% | 9.3–14% | 9.9% | about the same |
| Asthma | 12.1% | 10.7–13.5% | 10.6% | worse |
| Cancer (not skin) | 8.2% | 7.4–9.1% | 7.6% | about the same |
| Diabetes | 12.4% | 10.8–14.1% | 12.5% | about the same |
| COPD | 8.1% | 6.8–9.5% | 5.9% | worse |
| Heart disease | 6.4% | 5.6–7.3% | 5.8% | about the same |
| Stroke | 3.7% | 3.2–4.1% | 3.4% | about the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16% | 13.3–18.7% | 10.9% | worse |
| Binge drink | 15.1% | 12.5–17.7% | 14.1% | about the same |
| Get no exercise | 26.7% | 22.6–30.9% | 23.6% | about the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.7% | 34.3–45.1% | 37.7% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 78% | 74.6–81.1% | 79.2% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 59.4% | 55.7–62.7% | 64.4% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 87.4% | 85.2–89.2% | 89.6% | worse |
| Colon screening | 66.5% | 61.5–70.9% | 68.2% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 73.8% | 66.3–80% | 80.7% | worse |
| Taking BP meds | 75.3% | 72.3–78% | 76.6% | about the same |
| No health insurance | 10.3% | 8.2–12.6% | 8.7% | about the same |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Feel lonely | 35.7% | 30.8–40.6% | 34.3% | about the same |
| Lack emotional support | 25.2% | 21.6–29% | 24.2% | about the same |
| Frequent mental distress | 18.4% | 16.3–20.6% | 15% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 20.3% | 17.2–23.6% | 17.9% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 14.4% | 12.5–16.4% | 12% | worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Food insecurity | 17.5% | 14.4–20.8% | 15.4% | about the same |
| Housing insecurity | 14.7% | 12.3–17% | 13.5% | about the same |
| Utility shut-off threat | 9.1% | 7.8–10.6% | 8.4% | about the same |
| No reliable transportation | 8.7% | 7.4–10.1% | 7.8% | about the same |
| Receive SNAP | 14.6% | 11.9–17.6% | 11.8% | |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.3% | 27.3–35.5% | 26.4% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 14.6% | 12.3–16.9% | 12.4% | |
| Thinking or memory | 16.1% | 13.9–18.5% | 12.2% | |
| Hearing | 6.6% | 5.8–7.5% | 5.6% | |
| Vision | 5.3% | 4.6–6% | 4.5% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 4.1% | 3.6–4.8% | 3.5% | |
| Errands alone | 8.9% | 7.6–10.2% | 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 Ridgely door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Maryland figure falls inside it, we don't call Ridgely better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Ridgely 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.