Howard County
MarylandFIPS 24027
Pop. 332,3171 HospitalSVI 0.15RUCC 1 (Metro)
Health Snapshot
| Metric | Howard County | State Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes Prevalence | 8.8% | 10.6% | ▼ |
| Adult Obesity | 26.9% | 35.7% | ▼ |
| Uninsured Rate | 4.3% | 6.4% | ▼ |
| PCPs per 10K | 18.4 | 6.6 | ▼ |
| Premature Death (YPLL) | 4,573.287 | — |
Source: County Health Rankings (2025)
Workforce Supply
619
Primary Care Physicians
184.2 per 100k
681
NPs & PAs
202.7 per 100k
308
Dentists
493
Hospital Beds
1.5 per 1,000
$12,760.31
Medicare Per Capita
2069.0%
Readmission Rate
Source: Area Health Resources File (AHRF) 2024-2025
CDC PLACES Health Indicators
| Indicator | Howard County | State Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 10.1% | — | |
| Obesity | 30.0% | — | |
| Depression | 18.3% | — | |
| Frequent Mental Distress | 12.6% | — | |
| COPD | 4.0% | — | |
| Current Smoking | 7.5% | — | |
| Heart Disease | 4.6% | — | |
| Stroke | 2.5% | — | |
| High Blood Pressure | 33.7% | — | |
| Poor General Health | 12.3% | — | |
| Disability | 20.6% | — | |
| No Leisure Physical Activity | 16.0% | — | |
| Binge Drinking | 13.7% | — | |
| Uninsured | 5.6% | — |
Source: CDC PLACES 2023-2024. Values are age-adjusted prevalence (%).
Explore financial data, AHEAD readiness, and community benefit for Howard's 1 hospital.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall0.15
Socioeconomic Status0.03
Household Composition & Disability0.48
Minority Status & Language0.88
Housing Type & Transportation0.17
Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022. Score 0-1; higher = more vulnerable.
Hospitals in Howard County
| Hospital | City | Beds | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center | Columbia | 233 |
Stay Informed on Maryland Rural Health
Subscribe to Rural Health Pulse for weekly data updates on hospitals, closures, and funding.
Data from CMS Provider of Services, County Health Rankings, CDC Social Vulnerability Index, HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce, AHRF 2024-2025, CDC PLACES 2023-2024, and UNC Sheps Center. Last updated: 2026-03-11.