Diabetes rates have been on the rise for the last two decades, and show no sign of abating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 11.3% of the U.S. population suffers from diabetes—though many of those affected do not know they have the chronic illness.
Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in 2020, but the disease does not impact all Americans equally. Instead, variables like poverty level, geographic region, and race all influence diabetes rates, meaning some Americans are disproportionately impacted by the disease.
The Southeastern portion of the U.S. has a particularly high concentration of counties with elevated diabetes rates, with parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, and nearly all of Louisiana, along with other states, facing some of the highest rates. Studies have shown that lack of access to healthy, affordable foods and health care services, exposure to environmental toxins, and other health hazards associated with poverty and systemic racism contribute to the increased likelihood of developing diabetes. These same conditions also mean that poor, non-white Americans are more likely to endure complications and have higher mortality rates from diabetes than wealthier white Americans with the disease.
The proportion of young people with diabetes is projected to increase over the next several decades, with racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities only growing larger if trends continue. Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified the counties in Maryland with the highest percentage of adults with diabetes. Ties were broken by the broader Quality of Life rank provided by the analysis, which includes other poor physical and mental health indicators. The age-adjusted diabetes rate was obtained through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
Zrmachuga // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 24#24. Howard County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 8% (2 points less than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #2
--- Quality of life rank: #2
--- Length of life rank: #2
- Estimated county population: 328,200
Farragutful // Wikimedia Commons
2 / 24#23. Carroll County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 8% (2 points less than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #4
--- Quality of life rank: #3
--- Length of life rank: #6
- Estimated county population: 169,092
JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D. // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 24#22. Queen Anne's County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 8% (2 points less than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #6
--- Quality of life rank: #6
--- Length of life rank: #4
- Estimated county population: 51,167
TownCreative // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 24#21. Montgomery County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point less than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #1
--- Quality of life rank: #1
--- Length of life rank: #1
- Estimated county population: 1,051,816
Preservation Maryland // Wikimedia Commons
5 / 24#20. Calvert County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point less than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #5
--- Quality of life rank: #4
--- Length of life rank: #5
- Estimated county population: 93,072
Acroterion // Wikimedia Commons
6 / 24#19. Frederick County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point less than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #3
--- Quality of life rank: #5
--- Length of life rank: #3
- Estimated county population: 265,161
Shopkins91 // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 24#18. Talbot County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point less than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #11
--- Quality of life rank: #9
--- Length of life rank: #15
- Estimated county population: 36,972
Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD // Wikimedia Commons
8 / 24#17. Harford County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point less than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #10
--- Quality of life rank: #10
--- Length of life rank: #10
- Estimated county population: 256,805
Smallbones // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 24#16. Cecil County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point less than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #18
--- Quality of life rank: #13
--- Length of life rank: #23
- Estimated county population: 103,419
Skye Marthaler // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 24#15. Garrett County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point less than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #15
--- Quality of life rank: #16
--- Length of life rank: #12
- Estimated county population: 28,852
Charlie Stinchcomb // Flickr
11 / 24#14. Anne Arundel County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #7
--- Quality of life rank: #7
--- Length of life rank: #8
- Estimated county population: 582,777
Pubdog // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 24#13. St. Mary's County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #8
--- Quality of life rank: #8
--- Length of life rank: #9
- Estimated county population: 114,687
Linda Roy Walls // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 24#12. Worcester County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #9
--- Quality of life rank: #11
--- Length of life rank: #7
- Estimated county population: 52,403
JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D. // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 24#11. Baltimore County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #14
--- Quality of life rank: #12
--- Length of life rank: #16
- Estimated county population: 826,017
Delta1989 // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 24#10. Kent County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (same as state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #16
--- Quality of life rank: #17
--- Length of life rank: #14
- Estimated county population: 19,192
Acroterion // Wikimedia Commons
16 / 24#9. Caroline County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #17
--- Quality of life rank: #18
--- Length of life rank: #19
- Estimated county population: 33,492
Vpuliva // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 24#8. Washington County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #20
--- Quality of life rank: #19
--- Length of life rank: #20
- Estimated county population: 151,146
Acroterion // Wikicommons
18 / 24#7. Allegany County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #21
--- Quality of life rank: #20
--- Length of life rank: #21
- Estimated county population: 70,057
Eric Fischer // Wikicommons
19 / 24#6. Wicomico County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #19
--- Quality of life rank: #21
--- Length of life rank: #18
- Estimated county population: 103,990
Pubdog // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 24#5. Charles County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #13
--- Quality of life rank: #15
--- Length of life rank: #13
- Estimated county population: 164,436
Eli Pousson // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 24#4. Dorchester County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #23
--- Quality of life rank: #22
--- Length of life rank: #22
- Estimated county population: 31,853
MamaGeek // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 24#3. Prince George's County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #12
--- Quality of life rank: #14
--- Length of life rank: #11
- Estimated county population: 909,612
Bruce Emmerling // Wikimedia Commons
23 / 24#2. Baltimore
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #24
--- Quality of life rank: #23
--- Length of life rank: #24
- Estimated county population: 586,131
jerryinocmd // Wikimedia Commons
24 / 24#1. Somerset County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #22
--- Quality of life rank: #24
--- Length of life rank: #17
- Estimated county population: 25,453
