Photo: Jon Roanhaus · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Priest River is healthier than 93%
Priest River trails Idaho on 2 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Priest River. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Priest River
Priest River is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Priest River is healthier than 69%. Against the 8,590 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 93%. Health Grade ↓
Priest River has a community health center but no hospital
Boundary Regional Community Health Center is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Newport Community Hospital in Newport, 6.6 miles away. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Idaho figure falls outside Priest River’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Priest River’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Priest River is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 78% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 49%).
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). Priest River’s median household income is $58,782; among the 8,590 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 93%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Priest River
1 community health center in Priest River, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Priest River; ≈ 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 Priest River adults…
Priest River runs above ID on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Idaho
Share of adults, with the Idaho figure marked.
3.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Priest River adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Idaho.
How Priest River adults are doing
About the same as Idaho on each measure.
3 in 10 Priest River 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.
8.4% of Priest River adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.8% across Idaho.
Priest River and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Priest River | B+ | 31.4% | 10.2% | 13.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Priest River adults live with a disability (Idaho 34.7%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Priest River
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Priest River is better than Idaho on 0 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Idaho figure falls inside Priest River’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Priest River | ID | U.S. | vs ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.4%15.4–21.9 | 17.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.3–16.4 | 13.6% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.3–18.7 | 16.2% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.4%25.8–37.7 | 32.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.7–12 | 10.1% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.8%29.3–36.7 | 31.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.5%30.7–38.6 | 33.2% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28%25–31.3 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.5 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.5–10.4 | 8.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.2–8.2 | 6.2% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.7%6.4–9.2 | 6.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.2–4.2 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.7%15.5–22.2 | 16.2% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%10.7–16 | 12% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23%19–27.6 | 22.2% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%12.9–18.4 | 15.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.5%25.4–36 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.7%7.6–12.1 | 10.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.7%69–76.3 | 74.3% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.6%58–65.3 | 66.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.7%78.2–83.3 | 81.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.8%69.7–76.1 | 70.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.9%55–64.7 | 61.8% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 62%53.1–70.1 | 69.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.5%19.3–26 | 23.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29%24.4–33.7 | 29.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.3%17–23.9 | 19.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.7%9.2–14.7 | 12.8% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.4%7.7–11.4 | 10.3% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.1%5.1–7.2 | 6.6% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.2%6–8.5 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.4%6.5–10.7 | 8.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.7%31–40.9 | 34.7% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.6%13.3–18.3 | 14.5% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.5%14.1–19.1 | 16% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.2%9–11.6 | 9.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.2–5.7 | 4.9% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.4–10.3 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.2–4.4 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Idaho figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Priest River
Is Priest River a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Priest River is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Priest River?
CDC estimates 31.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.8% and 37.7%, against 32.1% across Idaho and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Priest River?
Newport Community Hospital in Newport, 6.6 miles in a straight line from Priest River’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Priest River have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–12.1%), against 10.7% across Idaho.
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 Priest River more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Priest River.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Idaho 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.