Photo: Raymond Shobe · CC BY 2.0Within Utah, Washington is healthier than 51% of graded towns
Washington differs from Utah on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Washington. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Washington
Utah sets a high bar
Washington is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, but only 51% of the 118 Utah towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, heart disease and stroke run high in Washington
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10%), vs 7.2% across Utah. 1 in 16 adults have heart disease (6.3%), vs 4.7% across Utah. Stroke is also above the state: 3.2%, vs 2.5% across Utah. In all, Washington runs above Utah on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Washington, and more people treating it
32.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Utah 27.3%), but 72.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 65.6% statewide. Checkups ↓
Washington keeps up with checkups
It beats Utah on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (73.3% vs 70.3%) and cholesterol checks (83.4% vs 80.5%). 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 Utah figure falls outside Washington’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Washington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Washington is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #58 of 118 in Utah. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 97% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 67%.
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 $91,853; among the 9,745 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 90%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Washington adults…
Washington runs above UT on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Washington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Utah.
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 Utah
Share of adults, with the Utah figure marked.
70 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
How Washington adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Washington does better than Utah.
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.
5% of Washington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.1% across Utah.
Washington and the towns around it
Washington has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | A | 32.2% | 9.9% | 7.5% | CDC place |
| St. George | A− | 32.9% | 10.6% | 7.9% | CDC place |
| Hurricane | B+ | 34.1% | 11.1% | 8.7% | CDC place |
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 (Utah 28.4%). Thinking or memory 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 Utah on 12 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Utah 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 | UT | U.S. | vs UT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.9%13.9–18 | 15.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.6–14.6 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.6–17 | 17.3% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.2%27.7–36.7 | 31% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.9%8.6–11.2 | 8.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32.7%29.7–35.6 | 27.3% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.4%31.3–37.6 | 30.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 27.4%24.8–29.8 | 21.7% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–11.9 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9.1–10.8 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–7 | 4.7% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.7%4.9–6.5 | 4.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 2.5% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.4%7.5–11.5 | 9.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.5%6.3–8.8 | 8.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 15.4%13.1–18.1 | 17.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 10.3%8.5–12.1 | 12.4% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5%28.3–36.9 | 33.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9%7.7–10.6 | 10.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.3%69–75.4 | 70.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.3%70.5–75.9 | 70.3% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.4%81.4–85.1 | 80.5% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.5%69.4–75.2 | 65.6% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.7%64.6–72.6 | 63.1% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.4%68.8–81.1 | 72.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.4%22.4–28.3 | 27.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30%26.8–33.5 | 34.1% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.8%15.5–20.4 | 20.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.9%8.4–11.5 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.7%6.6–8.9 | 10% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.5%4.8–6.3 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%5–6.5 | 6.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5%4.2–6 | 6.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.2%27.9–34.6 | 28.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.1%10.6–13.8 | 10.3% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%12.1–15.3 | 15.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.7–9.6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 4% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.3 | 2.7% | 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 Utah 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 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #58 of 118 in Utah. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. 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 32.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.7% and 36.7%, against 31% across Utah and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Washington?
St. George Regional Hospital in St. George, 6.8 miles in a straight line from Washington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Washington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–10.6%), against 10.5% across Utah.
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 B+ 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 Utah 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.