On CDC estimates, Federal Way is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Federal Way differs from Washington on 11 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Federal Way. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Federal Way
Making ends meet is harder in Federal Way
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (14.6%), vs 10.2% across Washington. Housing insecurity (13.8% vs 9.9%) and no reliable transportation (9.5% vs 7.2%) are higher too. 14.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Federal Way has a top-rated hospital
St. Francis Community 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 Federal Way’s likely range.
What’s behind Federal Way’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Federal Way is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #105 of 285 in Washington. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 92% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 50%).
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). Federal Way’s median household income is $86,909; among the 10,249 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($65K–$109K), it’s healthier than 86%, about where its income would put it.
Most Washington towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Federal Way is healthier than 63% of graded towns, against 80% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.9% of Federal Way adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Care in and near Federal Way
1 hospital and 3 community health centers in Federal Way, 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 Federal Way; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Federal Way adults…
Federal Way runs below WA on 3 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.
30 miles of trails across 38 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Federal Way adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
How Federal Way adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Federal Way 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.
Federal Way and the towns around it
Federal Way’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Way | A− | 27% | 9.9% | 10.1% | CDC place |
| Lakeland South | A | 24.7% | 8.5% | 9.4% | CDC place |
| Lakeland North | A− | 26.1% | 9.6% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Des Moines | A− | 26.6% | 9.5% | 10.1% | CDC place |
| Milton | B | 35% | 10.7% | 12% | CDC place |
| Auburn | A− | 27.3% | 8.8% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Tacoma | B | 37.3% | 10.9% | 11.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Federal Way adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Federal Way
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Federal Way is better than Washington on 3 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Federal Way’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Federal Way | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18%16.7–19.4 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%11.6–13.5 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%16–18.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27%24.7–29.5 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.9%9–10.7 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.2%29.5–32.9 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.6%33.9–37.4 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.2%20.9–23.6 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.8%10–11.7 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.5%6.1–7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.7–5.5 | 5.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.9%4.5–5.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.3 | 2.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.6%8.2–11.1 | 9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.1%9.2–11.2 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.2%17.6–21 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%14.3–17 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%30.7–35.2 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.7%9.7–11.9 | 8.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.3%68.4–72.3 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.5%61.5–65.4 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.6%82.5–84.9 | 84% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.7%67.8–71.7 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.9%61.6–66.2 | 66.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.8%71.4–78 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.4%22.7–26.2 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32.4%30.4–34.3 | 28% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.6%13.4–15.8 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.8%12.7–14.9 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.7–7 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.5%8.8–10.3 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.9%13.7–16.1 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.1%25.4–29 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.6%9.8–11.6 | 10.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%13.4–15.6 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%5.1–6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.7–5.5 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.4%6.9–8.1 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.4–4 | 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 Federal Way
Is Federal Way a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Federal Way is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #105 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Federal Way?
CDC estimates 27% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.7% and 29.5%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Federal Way?
St. Francis Community Hospital in Federal Way, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Federal Way’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Federal Way have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.7–11.9%), 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 Federal Way 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 Federal Way.
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.