Silver Spring, Maryland is a vibrant community with access to many health resources. The city has several local hospitals and medical facilities in the area, allowing residents to receive quality medical care. There are a number of specialists available, including primary care physicians, cardiologists, physical therapists, and mental health providers. In addition to hospitals and medical centers, Silver Spring has a variety of retail locations where one can purchase over-the-counter medications or speak with a pharmacist. These locations also offer vaccinations for those who might need them. Additionally, Silver Spring is home to several public health clinics that provide free or low-cost preventive services such as physicals and screenings for various diseases. With these resources readily available, Silver Spring residents have access to comprehensive health care options to help ensure they remain healthy and active throughout their lives.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 506 physicians per 100,000 population in Silver Spring. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Silver Spring area is 100.1 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
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Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Silver Spring area is 50 (100=best). The US average is 55.
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Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Silver Spring area is 99 (100=best). The US average is 87.
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The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Silver Spring commutes 34.9 minutes one-way, which is longer than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Silver Spring area is 24 (100=best). The US average is 58.
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This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.