W. T. PRESTON (snagboat) · Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Anacortes is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns
Anacortes differs from Washington on 18 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Anacortes. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Anacortes
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Anacortes
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12%), vs 7.9% across Washington. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (32.9%), vs 24.4% across Washington. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.2%, vs 5.4% across Washington. In all, Anacortes runs above Washington on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 32% of residents are 65 or older (Washington 17%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Anacortes is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Anacortes’ county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Anacortes keeps up with checkups
It beats Washington on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (74.7% vs 70.7%) and dentist visits (70.2% vs 67%). Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in Anacortes, and more people treating it
34.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Washington 30.5%), but 77.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 70.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Anacortes has a top-rated hospital
Island Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Washington figure falls outside Anacortes’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Anacortes’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Anacortes is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, #72 of 285 in Washington. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 95% 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). Anacortes’ median household income is $91,951; among the 9,728 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 93%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Anacortes adults…
Anacortes runs above WA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Anacortes is an older town: 32% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Washington. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Anacortes as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Anacortes
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Anacortes, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Anacortes; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Anacortes adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
61 miles of trails across 18 parks and preserves
How Anacortes adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Anacortes does better than Washington.
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.
8.2% of Anacortes adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Anacortes and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anacortes | A | 30.4% | 10.4% | 9.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Anacortes adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Anacortes
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Anacortes is better than Washington on 12 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Anacortes’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Anacortes | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15%13.2–16.9 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.7–14.7 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.8%12.3–15.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.4%26.2–34.7 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%9.1–11.8 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.8%31.7–37.9 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%33.1–39.7 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.9%30.1–35.7 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.7–12.1 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12%10.9–13 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.5–7.9 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.1%5.5–6.9 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.4–3.9 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.5%6.1–9.1 | 9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.1%7.8–10.5 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.5%14.2–19.1 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.7%12.5–17 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28%24.2–31.9 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.2%5.4–7.2 | 8.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.7%71.6–77.4 | 70.7% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.2%67.3–72.9 | 67% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.2%86.8–89.4 | 84% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%74.5–80.1 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.3%68.5–75.9 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%72.6–83.5 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.5%21.7–27.4 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.7%21.7–27.5 | 28% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7%6.2–7.8 | 10.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7%6.1–7.9 | 9.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.9%3.3–4.4 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.4%4.8–5.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.2%7.2–9.1 | 11% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.4%25.5–31.5 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.9%11.4–14.6 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.5%10.2–12.8 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.8%7.9–9.7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.6–4.3 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.6%5.9–7.4 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.1% | 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 Washington figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Anacortes
Is Anacortes a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Anacortes is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns: A for health, #72 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 93%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Anacortes?
CDC estimates 30.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.2% and 34.7%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Anacortes?
Island Hospital in Anacortes, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Anacortes’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Anacortes have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.4–7.2%), against 8.4% across Washington.
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 Anacortes 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 Anacortes.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Washington 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.