Photo: Ken Gallager at Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Washington is healthier than 69% of U.S. towns
Washington trails New Hampshire on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP code 03280. 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 69% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 81% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 56%.
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 $89,453; among the 9,998 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$112K), it’s healthier than 68%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Washington adults…
Washington runs above NH on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Washington is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 20% across New Hampshire. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Washington as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Washington
No hospital or community health center in Washington itself. These are the nearest.
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).
Everyday habits, side by side with New Hampshire
Share of adults, with the New Hampshire figure marked.
60 miles of trails across 23 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Washington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New Hampshire.
How Washington adults are doing
About the same as New Hampshire on each measure.
3 in 10 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.
7.4% of Washington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.5% across New Hampshire.
Washington and the towns around it
Washington’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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 | B+ | 33.1% | 11.7% | 12.8% | ZIP 03280 |
| Bradford | A | 33.6% | 9.5% | 10.4% | ZIP 03221 |
| Marlow | — | — | — | — | |
| Lempster | B+ | 33.8% | 11.1% | 13.5% | ZIP codes |
| Stoddard | A− | 30.1% | 10% | 11.8% | ZIP codes |
| Hillsborough | B+ | 35.5% | 10.1% | 13.2% | ZIP 03244 |
| Windsor | — | — | — | — | |
| Goshen | — | — | — | — |
Marlow and Windsor: fewer than 1,000 residents. Goshen: not graded. 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 (New Hampshire 26.1%). Walking or climbing stairs 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 New Hampshire on 0 and worse on 9; on the rest, the New Hampshire 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 | NH | U.S. | vs NH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17%13.9–20.4 | 14.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%11.6–15.9 | 11.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13–17.3 | 15.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.1%27.6–38.8 | 31.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.7%10–13.6 | 9.4% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.9%34.1–41.7 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.7%35.8–43.5 | 35.2% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33.6%30.4–37.2 | 27.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.4 | 10.5% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.5%10.3–12.8 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%6.7–9 | 6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.2%6.6–9.9 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.4–4.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.3%9.3–13.6 | 8.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.8%10–15.7 | 10.8% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.5%20.1–29.4 | 20.7% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.2%11.7–16.8 | 15.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.1%28.5–38 | 32.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%5.3–9.4 | 6.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78%74.5–81.1 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.8%62.4–69 | 68.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.2%87.3–91 | 88.3% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.1%75.8–82 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.4%69.3–77.1 | 69.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.9%71.4–83.4 | 78.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%20.1–27 | 22.7% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.8%24.6–33.1 | 30.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.1%18.4–25.9 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.1%7.7–12.7 | 9.5% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.2%6.5–10 | 8.1% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.5%4.4–6.6 | 5.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.8%4.8–7 | 5.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.4%5.5–9.5 | 6.5% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30%25.6–34.8 | 26.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.8%12.2–17.6 | 11.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.7%10.7–15.1 | 12% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9%7.8–10.3 | 7.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%3.8–5.4 | 3.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.3–9 | 6.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3–4.4 | 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 New Hampshire 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 69% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 68%. 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 33.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.6% and 38.8%, against 31.8% across New Hampshire and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Washington?
New London Hospital in New London, 16.7 miles in a straight line from Washington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Washington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–9.4%), against 6.8% across New Hampshire.
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 C 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 New Hampshire 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.