Photo: Ian Poellet · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Damascus is healthier than 38%
Damascus differs from Oregon on 5 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Damascus. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Damascus
Against towns with similar incomes, Damascus’ lead shrinks
Damascus is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, but 38% of the 5,390 towns with similar household incomes ($92K–$153K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Damascus keeps up with checkups
It beats Oregon on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (69.7% vs 64.7%) and cholesterol checks (86.6% vs 84%). Checkups ↓
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 Oregon figure falls outside Damascus’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Damascus’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Damascus is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, #38 of 142 in Oregon. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 85% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, 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). Damascus’ median household income is $122,500; among the 5,390 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($92K–$153K), it’s healthier than 38%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Keeping up with care
Share of Damascus adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oregon.
Out of every 100 Damascus adults…
Damascus runs above OR on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Damascus
No hospital or community health center in Damascus 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 Damascus; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Oregon
Share of adults, with the Oregon figure marked.
0.7 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
How Damascus adults are doing
About the same as Oregon on each measure.
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.
Damascus and the towns around it
Damascus’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damascus | B+ | 34.2% | 10.9% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Happy Valley | A | 31.3% | 9.5% | 9.8% | CDC place |
| Boring | B+ | 34.3% | 11.1% | 11% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Damascus adults live with a disability (Oregon 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Damascus
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Damascus is better than Oregon on 4 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Oregon figure falls inside Damascus’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Damascus | OR | U.S. | vs OR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17%14.7–19.6 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%11.9–15.4 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.8–18.7 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.2%29.6–38.8 | 33.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.5–12.5 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.3%30–36.4 | 32.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%31.1–37.7 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29%26.1–31.8 | 27.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.6–13.3 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.3–11.2 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.7–7.3 | 6.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.4%5.5–7.5 | 6.8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%2.9–3.6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.6%8.5–13 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.8%9–12.9 | 12% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.7%16.7–23.1 | 20.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%12.1–16.7 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.8%28.8–37.2 | 30.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.2%5.1–7.4 | 8.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.5%71.4–77.5 | 72.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.7%66.7–72.8 | 64.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.6%84.8–88.2 | 84% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.3%70.1–76.4 | 71.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.5%63.5–71.4 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.4%76.1–86.3 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.8%24.6–31 | 27.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.6%24.2–31.1 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.4%10.7–14.3 | 13% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.8%11.1–14.5 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6.1–7.9 | 7.1% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.4–4.4 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%6.1–7.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.7–3.5 | 3.4% | 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 Oregon figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Damascus
Is Damascus a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Damascus is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #38 of 142 in Oregon. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Damascus?
CDC estimates 34.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.6% and 38.8%, against 33.6% across Oregon and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Damascus?
Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center in Clackamas, 5.7 miles in a straight line from Damascus’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Damascus have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7.4%), against 8.5% across Oregon.
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 Damascus 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 Damascus.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Oregon 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.