Clarkston Public Library · Photo: Ian Poellet · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Clarkston is healthier than 78%
Clarkston differs from Washington on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Clarkston. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Clarkston
Clarkston is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Clarkston is healthier than 45%. Against the 7,170 towns with similar household incomes ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 78%. Health Grade ↓
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Clarkston
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.9%), vs 5.1% across Washington. 1 in 26 adults have had a stroke (3.9%), vs 2.9% across Washington. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.1%, vs 5.4% across Washington. In all, Clarkston runs above Washington on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Clarkston
59.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67% across Washington. Among those 65 and older, 13.6% have lost all their teeth (Washington 9%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Clarkston
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (14.7%), vs 10.1% across Washington. Habits ↓
Clarkston has a top-rated hospital
Tri-State Memorial 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 Clarkston’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Clarkston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clarkston is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns, #247 of 285 in Washington. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 72% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Clarkston’s median household income is $54,152; among the 7,170 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 78%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Washington towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Clarkston is healthier than 13% of graded towns, against 45% nationally.
Out of every 100 Clarkston adults…
Clarkston runs above WA on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Clarkston 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.
1 mile of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Care in and near Clarkston
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Clarkston, 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 Clarkston; ≈ 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 Clarkston adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Clarkston 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.
17% of Clarkston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Clarkston and the towns around it
Clarkston’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarkston | C+ | 36.2% | 11.6% | 14.7% | CDC place |
| West Clarkston-Highland | C+ | 36.5% | 13.2% | 15.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Clarkston adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Clarkston
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Clarkston is better than Washington on 1 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Clarkston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Clarkston | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%17.5–22.7 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.7–17.3 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.5–21.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.2%31.6–41.7 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.6%10.2–13.2 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.2%31.3–37.6 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.7%31.8–38.1 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.7%27.2–32.5 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.3%11.1–13.7 | 10.7% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.3–10 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.9%6.9–9 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.6%11.1–16.3 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.7%12.5–17.1 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 22.2%19–25.8 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%14.7–20.1 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.9%27.3–36.6 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.4–10.7 | 8.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.5%70.4–76.9 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.3%55.8–62.6 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81%78.9–83 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.5%70.8–76.3 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.6%60.2–68.9 | 66.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.3%62.8–77.1 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.6%24.6–31.2 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27%24–30.3 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.9%11.5–14.3 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.6%10.3–13.1 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%6.1–7.8 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.2%8.4–10.1 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17%15.3–18.8 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.3%32.6–40.3 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.7%13.8–17.8 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.6%15.6–19.8 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.8–9.6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%4.9–6.1 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.9%8.8–11.2 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 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 Clarkston
Is Clarkston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clarkston is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #247 of 285 in Washington. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Clarkston?
CDC estimates 36.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.6% and 41.7%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Clarkston?
Tri-State Memorial Hospital in Clarkston, 0.8 miles in a straight line from Clarkston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Clarkston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.4–10.7%), 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 Clarkston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Clarkston.
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.