Montgomery County Tops State and National Averages in Chronic Disease Outcomes

For Immediate Release: Thursday, October 2, 2025

First-ever Report Highlights Health Trends, Reveals Disparities, and Identifies Ways to Improve Care for a Growing and Diverse Population

The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released its first comprehensive report on chronic diseases, titled Chronic Diseases in Montgomery County, MD 2010-2023. The report provides data on chronic disease prevalence and trends in the County, and highlights the Department's efforts in education, prevention, screening, and treatment to improve population health.

The report outlines how Montgomery County compares to Maryland and national benchmarks for a range of chronic disease indicators. It also identifies communities disproportionately impacted by chronic conditions, allowing County leaders and health partners to better target services and interventions to advance health equity.

"Montgomery County has long been committed to improving the health and well-being of all our residents, and this report gives us a clear picture of where we are making progress and where we need to do more," said County Executive Marc Elrich. "While it's encouraging that we perform better than the State and the nation on many health indicators, the disparities we see, particularly among communities of color, are deeply concerning. Everyone in our County deserves the opportunity to live a long and healthy life, regardless of race, ethnicity, income, or zip code. This data will help guide our investments and shape our policies to close these gaps and continue building a healthier and more equitable Montgomery County."

Key findings include:

• Montgomery County continues to become more diverse. The Hispanic population and other minority populations have grown, while the non-Hispanic White population has declined.
• Five of the top ten leading causes of death in the County from 2021 to 2023 were chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic lower respiratory disease.
• The County performs better than both Maryland and the U.S. on most chronic disease indicators.
• Among racial and ethnic groups, non-Hispanic Black residents experience worse outcomes for many chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, several cancers, and diabetes.
• Asian/Pacific Islander residents had the highest percentage of late-stage diagnoses for lung and bronchus cancer. In contrast, Hispanic residents had the highest rate of late-stage diagnoses for prostate cancer.

"Montgomery County is proud to be the most diverse jurisdiction in Maryland, and our population continues to grow in both diversity and age," said County Health Officer Dr. Kisha Davis. "These demographic shifts highlight the importance of understanding how different communities experience chronic disease, as risk factors and health outcomes can vary widely. As our population ages, we anticipate that the demand for health care services will increase. This report is a vital tool to help us monitor trends and adapt our programs to meet the evolving needs of our residents."

The report fulfills a key function of public health surveillance by presenting timely and accessible data to inform decision-making. It supports evidence-based planning, policy development, health promotion, and program design to address successes and gaps in health outcomes across the County.

The publication supplements the Department's earlier report, Health in Montgomery County, 2013-2022: A Surveillance Report on Population Health.

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