Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Cle Elum is healthier than 67%
Cle Elum trails Washington on 17 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cle Elum. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cle Elum
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Cle Elum
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.8%), 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: 7.2%, vs 5.4% across Washington. In all, Cle Elum runs above Washington on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Cle Elum
61.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67% across Washington. Among those 65 and older, 13.3% have lost all their teeth (Washington 9%). Cle Elum’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
More Cle Elum adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (22.6%), vs 17.9% across Washington. There are 18 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Cle Elum is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Cle Elum is healthier than 47%. Against the 9,727 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 67%. Health Grade ↓
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 Cle Elum’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Cle Elum’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cle Elum is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 70% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 23%).
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). Cle Elum’s median household income is $63,973; among the 9,727 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 67%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Cle Elum adults…
Cle Elum runs above WA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Cle Elum 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.
18 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
Care in and near Cle Elum
No hospital or community health center in Cle Elum 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 Cle Elum; ≈ 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 Cle Elum adults are doing
About the same as Washington on each measure.
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.
14.3% of Cle Elum adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Cle Elum and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cle Elum | B− | 36.6% | 11.4% | 14.2% | CDC place |
| South Cle Elum | — | — | — | — |
South Cle Elum: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cle Elum adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cle Elum
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cle Elum is better than Washington on 0 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Cle Elum’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cle Elum | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.3%17.7–23.2 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.1–17.8 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%16.3–20.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.6%31.2–42.3 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.4%10–12.9 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.1%30.8–37.5 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.6%32.1–39.2 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.1%28.3–34.1 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.8%10.5–13.1 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.7–10.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.4–8.1 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.8%6.8–9 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.3%11–16.1 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%12–16.6 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 22.6%19.3–26.4 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.8%14.1–19.7 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31%26.5–35.7 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.1%7.4–11.1 | 8.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.4%66.5–73.9 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.1%57.8–64.3 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.9%80.8–84.8 | 84% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.4%69.1–75.3 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.5%60–68.6 | 66.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.5%63.4–77.2 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.6%23.4–30 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.8%23.5–30.2 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.9%10.6–13.3 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%9.5–12.2 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5.2–6.8 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.2%7.4–9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.3%12.8–15.9 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.3%29.7–37.4 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15%13.1–17.2 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.8%14.9–19 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.3–9.2 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%7.9–10.3 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.7–4.9 | 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 Cle Elum
Is Cle Elum a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cle Elum is healthier than 47% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cle Elum?
CDC estimates 36.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.2% and 42.3%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cle Elum?
Kittitas Valley Community Hospital in Ellensburg, 24.2 miles in a straight line from Cle Elum’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Cle Elum have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.4–11.1%), 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 Cle Elum 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 Cle Elum.
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.