On CDC estimates, Duluth is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Duluth differs from Washington on 14 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Duluth. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Duluth
Duluth keeps up with checkups
It beats Washington on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (72.3% vs 67%) and cholesterol checks (87.9% vs 84%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in Duluth
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.4%), vs 7.9% across Washington. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (Washington 17%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Duluth adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Washington. 1 in 14 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 10 adults 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 Duluth’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Duluth’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Duluth is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 94% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 68%.
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). Duluth’s median household income is $92,034; among the 9,713 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 91%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Duluth adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Out of every 100 Duluth adults…
Duluth runs below WA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Duluth is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Washington. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Duluth as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.1% of Duluth adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Care in and near Duluth
No hospital or community health center in Duluth 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 Duluth; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Duluth adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Duluth does better than 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.
Duluth and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth | A | 33.6% | 9.5% | 8.9% | CDC place |
| Dollars Corner | — | — | — | — |
Dollars Corner: 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 Duluth adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Duluth
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Duluth is better than Washington on 12 and worse on 2; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Duluth’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Duluth | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.3%12.3–16.6 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%10.8–14 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.9–17.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.6%30.2–37.1 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.8%30.4–35.4 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36%33.6–38.6 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28%25.9–30.4 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%10–12.2 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.5–11.3 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 5.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.1%4.3–6.1 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.4 | 2.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.9%5.6–8.2 | 9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.9%7.1–10.8 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.8%14.3–19.5 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%14.3–18.1 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 28.4%25.5–31.1 | 31.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.5%4.5–6.7 | 8.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 72%69.5–74.4 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.3%69.8–74.4 | 67% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.9%86.3–89.3 | 84% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75%72.3–77.5 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.8%67.7–73.4 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.4%70.3–79.3 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.3%22.9–27.7 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.7%22.5–27.2 | 28% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.2%6.4–8 | 10.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.4%6.6–8.3 | 9.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.9%3.4–4.4 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.6%5.1–6.2 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.1%6.3–8 | 11% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.5%22.6–28.6 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.1%9.5–12.9 | 10.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.3%9.7–12.9 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6.1–7.7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.9–3.8 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%4.9–6.6 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.4–3.2 | 3.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Duluth
Is Duluth a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Duluth is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 91%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Duluth?
CDC estimates 33.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.2% and 37.1%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Duluth?
Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center in Vancouver, 4.3 miles in a straight line from Duluth’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Duluth have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.5–6.7%), 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 Duluth 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 Duluth.
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.