Photo: Julius Reque of Traveling12feet · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Birch Bay is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns
Birch Bay differs from Washington on 14 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Birch Bay. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Birch Bay
Birch Bay is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Birch Bay’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 ↓
Cancer, heart disease and stroke run high in Birch Bay
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.1%), vs 7.9% across Washington. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.1%), vs 5.4% across Washington. Stroke is also above the state: 3.8%, vs 2.9% across Washington. In all, Birch Bay runs above Washington on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
The nearest ER is 30 miles from Birch Bay
The closest emergency room is Peacehealth Peace Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor, 29.5 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Unity Care Northwest is closer (8.5 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
More high blood pressure in Birch Bay, and more people treating it
34% of adults have high blood pressure (Washington 30.5%), but 76.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 70.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Birch Bay keeps up with checkups
It beats Washington on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (74.4% vs 70.7%) and cholesterol checks (87.1% vs 84%). 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 Washington figure falls outside Birch Bay’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Birch Bay’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Birch Bay is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns, #119 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 93% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 51%.
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). Birch Bay’s median household income is $86,854; among the 10,257 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($65K–$109K), it’s healthier than 84%, about where its income would put it.
Most Washington towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Birch Bay is healthier than 58% of graded towns, against 79% nationally.
Care in and near Birch Bay
No hospital or community health center in Birch Bay 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 Birch Bay; ≈ 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 Birch Bay adults…
Birch Bay runs above WA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Birch Bay 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.
5.5 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
How Birch Bay adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Birch Bay 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.7% of Birch Bay adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Birch Bay and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Birch Bay adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Birch Bay
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Birch Bay is better than Washington on 5 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Birch Bay’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Birch Bay | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.1%15.2–19.3 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.7–15.7 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.6–17.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.4%24–31.3 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.7%9.4–12.1 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34%31.3–36.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38%35–41.1 | 34.9% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 30.3%27.9–32.9 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.7–12 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.1%10.1–12.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.4–7.9 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.4–4.1 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.8%6.3–9.3 | 9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%9.5–12.8 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 17.5%15.1–19.9 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%13.7–17.9 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.4%25.1–31.8 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.9–8.1 | 8.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.4%71.6–77 | 70.7% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.3%65.6–70.8 | 67% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.1%85.6–88.4 | 84% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.5%73.7–79.1 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.8%69.4–75.9 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.2%67.2–78.4 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.2%25.5–31.1 | 25.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.6%23–28.4 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.3%8.4–10.4 | 10.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.1%8.1–10.2 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.8%4.2–5.5 | 5.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.7%6.1–7.4 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.7%9.6–12 | 11% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.8%27.8–33.7 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.1%11.6–14.9 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.4%12–14.9 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.4–9.2 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.9–4.8 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.3–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Birch Bay
Is Birch Bay a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Birch Bay is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #119 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 84%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Birch Bay?
CDC estimates 27.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 24% and 31.3%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Birch Bay?
Peacehealth Peace Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor, 29.5 miles in a straight line from Birch Bay’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Birch Bay have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.9–8.1%), 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 Birch Bay 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 Birch Bay.
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.