Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Bellingham is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Bellingham differs from Washington on 10 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bellingham. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bellingham
Bellingham is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Bellingham is healthier than 80%. Against the 10,168 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 96%. Health Grade ↓
Bellingham is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Bellingham’s 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 ↓
Depression is more common in Bellingham
1 in 3 adults have been diagnosed with depression (31.3%), vs 25.1% across Washington. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 19.7%, vs 16.4% across Washington. Mind & connection ↓
Bellingham has a top-rated hospital
Peacehealth St. Joseph Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare. Getting care ↓
Diabetes and high blood pressure are less common in Bellingham
Bellingham runs below Washington on diabetes (7.7% vs 9.5%), high blood pressure (25.7% vs 30.5%) and obesity (26% vs 30.6%). Conditions ↓
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 Bellingham’s likely range.
What’s behind Bellingham’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bellingham is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #108 of 285 in Washington. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 97% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Bellingham’s median household income is $66,755; among the 10,168 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 96%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Washington towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Bellingham is healthier than 62% of graded towns, against 80% nationally.
Care in and near Bellingham
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Bellingham, 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 Bellingham; ≈ 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).
How Bellingham adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Bellingham runs above 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.
Out of every 100 Bellingham adults…
Bellingham runs below WA on 5 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
78 miles of trails across 76 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Bellingham adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.5% of Bellingham adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Bellingham and the towns around it
Bellingham’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham | A− | 26% | 7.7% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Marietta-Alderwood | B | 29.9% | 10.5% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Geneva | A+ | 24.9% | 8.5% | 8.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bellingham adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bellingham
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bellingham is better than Washington on 5 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Bellingham’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bellingham | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.3%14.7–18.2 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%11.2–13.8 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.7%17.8–21.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26%22.6–29.4 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.7%6.8–8.7 | 9.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25.7%23.5–28 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.7%28.2–33.2 | 34.9% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 21.6%19.7–23.5 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.2%10–12.3 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.9–8.2 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.5–5.5 | 5.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–2.9 | 2.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.5%7.8–11.3 | 9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%9.2–11.9 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.6%14.5–18.9 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.5%16.1–21 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.9%26.5–33.4 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.2%7.2–9.4 | 8.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.7%65.5–71.7 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.2%60.3–65.9 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.3%76.4–80.3 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.7%66–71.1 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.8%65.3–72.1 | 66.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.1%69.4–80 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 31.3%28.4–34.2 | 25.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.5%23.8–29.4 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.3%10.2–12.6 | 10.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.4%9.3–11.6 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.6%5–6.3 | 5.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.7%8–9.6 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.5%12.2–14.9 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.3%27.5–33.2 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10%8.9–11.2 | 10.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.8%15.2–18.4 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.8–7.1 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%4.1–4.8 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7.5–9.1 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.9–3.4 | 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 Bellingham
Is Bellingham a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bellingham is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #108 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bellingham?
CDC estimates 26% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.6% and 29.4%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bellingham?
Island Hospital in Anacortes, 18.5 miles in a straight line from Bellingham’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bellingham have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.2–9.4%), 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 Bellingham 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 Bellingham.
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.