Great Northern Railway Passenger and Freight Depot and Division Office · Photo: Elkman · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Whitefish is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
Whitefish beats Montana on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Whitefish. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Whitefish
Whitefish ranks #2 for health in Montana
Out of 41 Montana towns with a Health Grade, Whitefish is #2 on the seven CDC estimates behind it. Nationally it’s healthier than 92% of towns. Health Grade ↓
Whitefish keeps up with checkups
It beats Montana on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (71.4% vs 63.3%) and cholesterol checks (84.8% vs 82.5%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Whitefish adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Montana. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 9 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Whitefish is an active town
Only 16.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 20.6% across Montana. Habits ↓
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 Montana figure falls outside Whitefish’s likely range.
What’s behind Whitefish’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Whitefish is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #2 of 41 in Montana. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 81%.
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). Whitefish’s median household income is $73,811; among the 10,832 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$92K), it’s healthier than 99%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Whitefish adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Montana.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
5.4% of Whitefish adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 8.3% across Montana.
Everyday habits, side by side with Montana
Share of adults, with the Montana figure marked.
7.6 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Whitefish adults…
Whitefish runs below MT on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Whitefish
1 hospital in Whitefish, 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 Whitefish; ≈ 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).
How Whitefish adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Whitefish does better than Montana.
3 in 10 Whitefish 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.
Whitefish and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitefish | A | 29.6% | 8.2% | 10.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Whitefish adults live with a disability (Montana 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Whitefish
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Whitefish is better than Montana on 18 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Montana figure falls inside Whitefish’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Whitefish | MT | U.S. | vs MT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.9%13.1–17.2 | 18.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.6–13.6 | 14% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%13–16.4 | 17.2% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.6%25.5–33.9 | 31.4% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.2%7.1–9.3 | 9.9% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.9%26.1–31.9 | 31.9% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.1%29–35.2 | 32.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27%24.4–29.7 | 28.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.7 | 11.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.9%9–10.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5–6.3 | 6.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.7%5–6.5 | 7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.7–3.2 | 3.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.1%6.6–9.8 | 12.3% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%8.8–12.5 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.4%14–19.3 | 20.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.8%18.1–23.7 | 20.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29%25.2–32.9 | 31.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.5%6.2–8.9 | 9.3% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.3%68–74.4 | 72.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.4%68.5–74.1 | 63.3% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.8%82.8–86.5 | 82.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.7%69.5–75.7 | 73.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.1%64.2–71.8 | 63.8% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.1%68.9–80.7 | 74.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%20.4–26.2 | 24.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.7%24.2–31.3 | 30.7% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.3%16.8–22.3 | 21.2% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.1%6.6–9.8 | 11.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.2%6–8.7 | 9.1% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.1%4.3–6 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%4.9–6.6 | 7.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.4%4.3–6.7 | 8.3% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.7%23.7–30.1 | 30.9% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.3%9–11.8 | 12.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.7%10.3–13.3 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.7–8.4 | 8.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.4%3.1–3.9 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.2%5.5–7.1 | 8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Montana figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Whitefish
Is Whitefish a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Whitefish is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #2 of 41 in Montana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Whitefish?
CDC estimates 29.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.5% and 33.9%, against 31.4% across Montana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Whitefish?
Logan Health - Whitefish in Whitefish, 4.0 miles in a straight line from Whitefish’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Whitefish have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.2–8.9%), against 9.3% across Montana.
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 Whitefish 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 Whitefish.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Montana 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.