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Wheaton, MD Health Statistics

29.6% of adults have obesity and 11.7% have diabetes, among about 52,150 residents.

Obesity
29.6%
#451 of 519 · -3.7 pts
Diabetes
11.7%
#301 of 519 · about the same
Smoking
9.3%
-3.5 pts
Uninsured (18-64)
16.2%
+5.1 pts

How it compares

Largest differences from the U.S. average

Higher than the U.S.

  • Uninsured (18-64)16.2% vs 11.1%
  • Housing insecurity17.0% vs 13.0%
  • Food insecurity20.1% vs 15.9%

Lower than the U.S.

  • Cancer5.2% vs 7.7%
  • COPD4.7% vs 6.5%
  • Smoking9.3% vs 12.8%

All health measures

Wheaton, MD compared with Maryland and the U.S.

Health outcomes

Adults withHereMDU.S.
Obesity29.6%-3.7 pts35.1%33.3%
Diagnosed diabetes11.7%about the same12.4%12.1%
High blood pressure30.9%-3.5 pts36.8%34.4%
High cholesterol (among those screened)39.0%+2.6 pts38.1%36.4%
Coronary heart disease5.0%-1.3 pts5.8%6.3%
Stroke2.9%-0.5 pts3.4%3.4%
Current asthma9.5%-0.7 pts10.5%10.2%
COPD4.7%-1.8 pts5.9%6.5%
Cancer (excluding skin cancer)5.2%-2.5 pts7.6%7.7%
Arthritis18.8%-6.4 pts25.8%25.2%
Depression17.6%-4.0 pts19.4%21.6%
All teeth lost (age 65+)9.2%-3.4 pts9.8%12.6%

Health behaviors

Adults withHereMDU.S.
Current smoking9.3%-3.5 pts10.9%12.8%
Binge drinking14.0%-1.9 pts14.1%15.9%
No leisure-time physical activity24.6%-0.6 pts23.5%25.2%
Short sleep (under 7 hours)36.6%+0.5 pts37.7%36.1%

Prevention

Adults withHereMDU.S.
No health insurance (age 18 to 64)16.2%+5.1 pts8.7%11.1%
Routine checkup in the past year73.9%-2.9 pts79.2%76.8%
Dental visit in the past year61.2%-0.5 pts64.4%61.7%
Taking blood pressure medicine (if high)72.0%-3.5 pts76.6%75.5%
Cholesterol screening87.9%+1.7 pts89.6%86.2%
Colorectal cancer screening (age 45 to 75)63.2%-0.5 pts68.2%63.7%
Mammogram in the past 2 years (women 50 to 74)78.1%+2.0 pts80.7%76.1%

Health status

Adults withHereMDU.S.
Fair or poor general health20.4%+0.6 pts17.9%19.8%
Frequent mental distress14.1%-2.4 pts14.9%16.5%
Frequent physical distress12.2%-1.1 pts12.0%13.3%

Disability

Adults withHereMDU.S.
Any disability26.0%-4.4 pts26.4%30.4%
Mobility disability11.1%-2.7 pts12.4%13.8%
Cognitive disability13.2%-1.1 pts12.2%14.3%
Hearing disability5.0%-1.8 pts5.6%6.8%
Vision disability5.5%about the same4.5%5.3%
Self-care disability3.6%about the same3.5%3.8%
Independent living disability6.9%-1.2 pts6.9%8.1%

Social needs

Adults withHereMDU.S.
Lack of social and emotional support25.9%+1.3 pts24.2%24.6%
Food insecurity in the past year20.1%+4.2 pts15.3%15.9%
Received SNAP (food stamps) in the past year13.3%+0.5 pts11.8%12.8%
Housing insecurity in the past year17.0%+4.0 pts13.5%13.0%
Threat of utility shutoff in the past year9.0%+1.0 pts8.4%8.0%
Lack of reliable transportation9.2%+0.7 pts7.8%8.5%

Share of adults (18 and older unless noted), crude prevalence. Differences are compared with the U.S.; green is better than the national rate, red is worse. These are model-based estimates, not counts.

Frequently asked questions

What is the obesity rate in Wheaton, MD?
About 29.6% of adults in Wheaton, MD have obesity, compared with 35.1% in Maryland and 33.3% nationwide. That ranks #451 of 519 cities and towns in Maryland.
How common is diabetes in Wheaton, MD?
About 11.7% of adults have diagnosed diabetes (Maryland 12.4%, U.S. 12.1%).
What share of adults smoke in Wheaton, MD?
About 9.3% of adults currently smoke cigarettes, compared with 12.8% nationwide.
How accurate are these numbers?
They are CDC model-based estimates built from national survey data and local population data, not counts from local health records. Small areas have wider margins of error.

Source: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health · Last updated 12/01/2025 · 2025 release. Share of adults, crude prevalence.