Photo: Ralf Roletschek - Infos über Fahrräder auf fahrradmonteur.de Wikis in der Ausbildung · CC BY-SA 3.0Within District of Columbia, Washington is healthier than 50% of graded towns
Washington trails District of Columbia on 4 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Washington. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Washington
What’s behind Washington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Washington is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 98% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 85%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Washington’s median household income is $109,870; among the 7,154 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($82K–$137K), it’s healthier than 98%, about where its income would put it.
At 693,645 residents, Washington is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Washington
8 hospitals and 8 community health centers in Washington.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Washington; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Out of every 100 Washington adults…
Washington runs above DC on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Washington residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across District of Columbia. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with District of Columbia
Share of adults, with the District of Columbia figure marked.
118 miles of trails across 237 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Washington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks District of Columbia.
How Washington adults are doing
About the same as District of Columbia on each measure.
2 in 5 Washington adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.8% of Washington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13% across District of Columbia.
Washington and the towns around it
Washington’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 7 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | A+ | 24.6% | 7.8% | 9.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Washington adults live with a disability (District of Columbia 21.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Washington
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Washington is better than District of Columbia on 0 and worse on 4; on the rest, the District of Columbia figure falls inside Washington’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Washington | DC | U.S. | vs DC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.8%12.3–15.3 | 13.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.4%8.4–10.4 | 9.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%13.1–16.3 | 14.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.6%19.5–30.4 | 24.7% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.8%6.9–8.9 | 7.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 27.7%24.6–31.1 | 28.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32%28.2–36.2 | 32.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 16.9%14.8–19.2 | 17.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.3–11.6 | 10.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.4%4.9–5.9 | 5.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 3.8% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 4% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.6–3 | 2.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.2%9.4–13.1 | 7.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.7%8.5–11 | 9.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 15.3%12.6–18.5 | 14.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 24%20.9–27.4 | 23.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.1%27.8–38.6 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.7%5.8–7.8 | 6.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.2%71–79.4 | 75.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.3%64–72.1 | 69% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.7%87.1–90.2 | 89.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.1%68.4–73.7 | 71.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.8%65.4–73.8 | 69.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.9%70.6–82.4 | 77.4% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.1%18.6–26.1 | 21.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.5%33.4–41.7 | 37% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23%20–26.3 | 22.9% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16%14.6–17.5 | 13.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.4%12–14.9 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9%8–10.1 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.1%8.2–10.1 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.8%14–17.8 | 13% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.2%19.3–25.4 | 21.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.5%8.6–10.6 | 9.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.6%11.3–14.1 | 12% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.7%3.3–4.2 | 3.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4.3–5 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.4–7.7 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%3–3.5 | 2.9% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the District of Columbia figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Washington
Is Washington a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Washington is healthier than 96% of U.S. towns: A+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 98%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Washington?
CDC estimates 24.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.5% and 30.4%, against 24.7% across District of Columbia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Washington?
George Washington Univ Hospital in Washington, 1.8 miles in a straight line from Washington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Washington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–7.8%), against 6.5% across District of Columbia.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Washington more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Washington.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The District of Columbia figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.