Photo: Steven Pavlov · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Coulee Dam is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns
Coulee Dam differs from Washington on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Coulee Dam. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Coulee Dam
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Coulee Dam
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.7%), vs 5.1% across Washington. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.8%), vs 2.9% across Washington. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.6%, vs 5.4% across Washington. In all, Coulee Dam runs above Washington on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Coulee Dam
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (17.9%), vs 10.1% across Washington. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Coulee Dam
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (18%), vs 10.2% across Washington. Utility shut-off threats (9.4% vs 5.1%) and no reliable transportation (12.6% vs 7.2%) are higher too. 21.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Coulee Dam’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Coulee Dam’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Coulee Dam is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 62% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Coulee Dam’s median household income is $66,732; among the 10,164 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 30%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Coulee Dam adults…
Coulee Dam runs above WA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
1 mile of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
21.3% of Coulee Dam adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Care in and near Coulee Dam
No hospital or community health center in Coulee Dam 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 Coulee Dam; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Coulee Dam adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
How Coulee Dam adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Coulee Dam 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.
Coulee Dam and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coulee Dam | C | 34.6% | 14.1% | 17.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Coulee Dam adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Coulee Dam
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Coulee Dam is better than Washington on 1 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Coulee Dam’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Coulee Dam | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.1%21.4–26.9 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.7–19.3 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.5–21.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.6%30–39.6 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12.6–15.7 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 37.7%34.7–41 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.5%32.5–38.7 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.3%28.8–34.1 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13.4%12.2–14.7 | 10.7% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.4–9.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.6%7.7–9.5 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.7%7.6–9.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.8%4.3–5.2 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18%15.6–20.6 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.9%15.5–20.4 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24.4%21.3–28.1 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.8–17.3 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.9%31.4–40.3 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.7%8.2–11.6 | 8.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.8%69.8–75.9 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.8%53.9–59.8 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.9%80.1–83.8 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.6%71–76.2 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.7%64–71.1 | 66.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.8%62.5–74.4 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.5%22.7–28.5 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.2%28.1–34.2 | 28% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18%16.4–19.5 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.3%13.8–16.7 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.4%8.3–10.3 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.6%11.6–13.5 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.3%19.6–23 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.8%35.2–42.7 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.9%15.8–19.9 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.1%16.2–20.1 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.3%9.3–11.4 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%6.4–7.9 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.7%9.5–11.9 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 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 Coulee Dam
Is Coulee Dam a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Coulee Dam is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 30%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Coulee Dam?
CDC estimates 34.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30% and 39.6%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Coulee Dam?
Coulee Medical Center in Grand Coulee, 2.3 miles in a straight line from Coulee Dam’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Coulee Dam have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.2–11.6%), 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 Coulee Dam more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Coulee Dam.
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.