Photo: Steven Pavlov · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Washington, Chehalis is healthier than 19% of graded towns
Chehalis trails Washington on 19 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Chehalis. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chehalis
Chehalis is behind on routine checkups
It trails Washington on five of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (65.9% vs 70.7%), dentist visits (58% vs 67%), cholesterol checks (79.7% vs 84%), colon screening (61.1% vs 66.2%) and mammograms (64.7% vs 74.2%). Checkups ↓
Washington sets a high bar
Chehalis is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, but only 19% of the 285 Washington towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Chehalis
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (12.9%), vs 10.2% across Washington. No reliable transportation (9.4% vs 7.2%) and utility shut-off threats (6.6% vs 5.1%) are higher too. 15.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Chehalis
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (13.8%), vs 10.1% across Washington. 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 Washington figure falls outside Chehalis’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Chehalis’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chehalis is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, #231 of 285 in Washington. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 78% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 19%).
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). Chehalis’ median household income is $73,702; among the 10,812 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$92K), it’s healthier than 59%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Chehalis 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.
15.9% of Chehalis adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
7.6 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Chehalis adults…
Chehalis runs above WA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Chehalis
1 community health center in Chehalis, 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 Chehalis; ≈ 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 Chehalis adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Chehalis 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.
Chehalis and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Chehalis adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chehalis
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chehalis is better than Washington on 0 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Chehalis’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chehalis | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.4%17–22 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.3–16.8 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19%17.1–21.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.1%32.9–43.6 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 10.2%9–11.7 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32%28.9–35.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.2%31.9–38.7 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.9%24.4–29.6 | 24.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.5%10.3–12.8 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.2%7.5–9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.3–6.6 | 5.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.7%13–18.8 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.8%11.9–15.9 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 21.3%18.1–24.7 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.5%14.8–20.4 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.4%32.9–42.2 | 31.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.9%8.4–11.7 | 8.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 65.9%62.2–69.5 | 70.7% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58%54.7–61.3 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.7%77.5–81.8 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.6%67.8–73.3 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.1%56.9–65.3 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 64.7%57.1–71.8 | 74.2% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.6%24.3–31.1 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.9%25.9–32.2 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.9%11.6–14.3 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.9%10.6–13.4 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.8–7.5 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.4%8.6–10.3 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.9%14.4–17.6 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.2%28.7–36 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.1%11.4–14.8 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.8%15–18.8 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.8–8.5 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.5–5.5 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%7.9–10 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 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 Chehalis
Is Chehalis a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chehalis is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #231 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 59%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chehalis?
CDC estimates 38.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.9% and 43.6%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chehalis?
Providence Centralia Hospital in Centralia, 3.5 miles in a straight line from Chehalis’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Chehalis have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.4–11.7%), 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 Chehalis more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Chehalis.
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.