Photo: Meronim · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Gearhart is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns
Gearhart differs from Oregon on 12 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gearhart. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gearhart
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Gearhart
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.4%), vs 8.9% across Oregon. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (35.1%), vs 27.4% across Oregon. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.9%, vs 6.5% across Oregon. In all, Gearhart runs above Oregon on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Oregon 19%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Gearhart, and more people treating it
38.4% of adults have high blood pressure (Oregon 32.7%), but 77.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Gearhart keeps up with checkups
It beats Oregon on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (78.1% vs 72.6%) and dentist visits (69.8% vs 64.7%). 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 Gearhart’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Gearhart’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gearhart is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 87% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). Gearhart’s median household income is $92,250; among the 9,675 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 66%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Gearhart adults…
Gearhart runs above OR on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Gearhart is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Oregon. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Gearhart as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gearhart adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oregon.
Care in and near Gearhart
No hospital or community health center in Gearhart 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 Gearhart; ≈ 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 Oregon
Share of adults, with the Oregon figure marked.
7.9 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Gearhart adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Gearhart does better than Oregon.
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.
Gearhart and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gearhart adults live with a disability (Oregon 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gearhart
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gearhart is better than Oregon on 7 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Oregon figure falls inside Gearhart’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gearhart | OR | U.S. | vs OR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.1%14.6–22 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.2–16.9 | 13.8% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%12.9–17.2 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.2%26.5–40.5 | 33.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.6%10.6–14.8 | 11.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.4%34.1–43 | 32.7% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.1%34.7–43.8 | 34.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 35.1%31.2–39.2 | 27.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.5–13.5 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.4%11.1–13.8 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%6.8–9.2 | 6.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.9%6.2–9.8 | 6.8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.3–4.6 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.4%9.8–15.3 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%8.5–14.3 | 12% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.1%15–23.7 | 20.1% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11.3–16.6 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.9%22.4–33.5 | 30.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.1%4.6–8.1 | 8.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.1%74.5–81.6 | 72.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.8%66.2–73 | 64.7% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.8%86.8–90.6 | 84% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.4%73.9–80.6 | 71.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.6%64–74.3 | 63.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%73.1–86 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%21.6–29.3 | 27.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.5%25.6–35.7 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.9%12.1–18.1 | 13% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%10.3–14.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.2–9.7 | 7.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.5–5.1 | 4.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6–8.8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%2.8–4.3 | 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 Gearhart
Is Gearhart a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gearhart is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 66%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gearhart?
CDC estimates 33.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.5% and 40.5%, against 33.6% across Oregon and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gearhart?
Providence Seaside Hospital in Seaside, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Gearhart’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gearhart have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.6–8.1%), 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 Gearhart 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 Gearhart.
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.