Aubrey R. Watzek House · Photo: Visitor7 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Portland as a whole is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Portland differs from Oregon on 16 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Portland. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Portland
Portland has seven hospitals within its borders
7 hospitals and 8 community health centers are inside Portland. Providence Portland Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Heart disease and COPD are less common in Portland
Portland runs below Oregon on eight chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (4.8% vs 6.5%), COPD (5.1% vs 6.8%) and arthritis (21.2% vs 27.4%). A young population is part of it: only 15% of residents are 65 or older (Oregon 19%). Conditions ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Portland doesn’t win on
17.7% of adults binge drink, vs 15.4% across Oregon, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Portland is an active town
Only 16.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 20.1% across Oregon. The town has 246 miles of trails across 268 parks and preserves. 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 Oregon figure falls outside Portland’s likely range.
What’s behind Portland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portland is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #26 of 142 in Oregon. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 94% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 28%).
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). Portland’s median household income is $90,919; among the 9,860 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($68K–$114K), it’s healthier than 83%, about where its income would put it.
At 635,109 residents, Portland is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Portland
7 hospitals and 8 community health centers in Portland.
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 Portland; ≈ 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 Portland adults…
Portland runs below OR on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Oregon
Share of adults, with the Oregon figure marked.
246 miles of trails across 268 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Portland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oregon.
How Portland adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Portland runs above 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.
Portland and the towns around it
Portland’s Health Grade ranks 9th of 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | A− | 28.5% | 8.9% | 11.7% | CDC place |
| Gresham | B− | 31.2% | 11.3% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Dunthorpe | A+ | 25.6% | 9% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Beaverton | A− | 32.6% | 9.6% | 9.8% | CDC place |
| West Haven-Sylvan | A | 29.8% | 8.8% | 7.1% | CDC place |
| Garden Home-Whitford | A− | 32.7% | 10.2% | 9.4% | CDC place |
| Lake Oswego | A+ | 29.5% | 9.4% | 6.4% | CDC place |
| Milwaukie | A− | 34.8% | 9.7% | 11% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Portland adults live with a disability (Oregon 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Portland
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Portland is better than Oregon on 13 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Oregon figure falls inside Portland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Portland | OR | U.S. | vs OR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.7%15.1–18.5 | 19% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.9%10.7–13.2 | 13.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.7–20.2 | 17.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.5%25–32.2 | 33.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.9%7.9–10.1 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.2%24.8–29.7 | 32.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.7%29.1–34.5 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.2%19.3–23.3 | 27.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.7–13.2 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.9%6.3–7.5 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.8%4.4–5.3 | 6.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 6.8% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.3%8.4–12.4 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.7%10.4–13.2 | 12% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.8%14.8–19.2 | 20.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.7%15.5–20.1 | 15.4% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.3%25–31.9 | 30.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 8.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.1%67.1–73 | 72.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.9%63–68.7 | 64.7% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.8%82.2–85.4 | 84% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 66.8%63.7–69.7 | 71.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.1%60.3–67.8 | 63.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.6%72–82.5 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.5%27.7–33.5 | 27.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.2%24.7–30 | 30% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.9%8.8–11 | 13% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.5%13.1–16 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.8–6 | 7.1% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.7–4.4 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.6–8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.7–3.1 | 3.4% | 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 Oregon figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Portland
Is Portland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portland is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #26 of 142 in Oregon. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 83%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Portland?
CDC estimates 28.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 25% and 32.2%, against 33.6% across Oregon and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Portland?
Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Portland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Portland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.2–8.1%), 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 Portland more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Portland.
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.