Photo: Public domain · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Ferndale is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns
Ferndale differs from Washington on 5 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ferndale. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ferndale
Ferndale is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Ferndale’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Depression is more common in Ferndale
3 in 10 adults have been diagnosed with depression (29.6%), vs 25.1% across Washington. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.3%, vs 16.4% across Washington. Mind & connection ↓
The nearest ER is 24 miles from Ferndale
The closest emergency room is Island Hospital in Anacortes, 24.2 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Unity Care Northwest is closer (0.6 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. 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 Ferndale’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Ferndale’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ferndale is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #111 of 285 in Washington. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 94% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 28%).
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). Ferndale’s median household income is $87,579; among the 10,189 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($66K–$109K), it’s healthier than 85%, about where its income would put it.
Most Washington towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Ferndale is healthier than 61% of graded towns, against 80% nationally.
Care in and near Ferndale
1 community health center in Ferndale, 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 Ferndale; ≈ 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 Ferndale adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Ferndale 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.
Out of every 100 Ferndale adults…
Ferndale runs below WA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
5.6 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Ferndale adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.5% of Ferndale adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Ferndale 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferndale | A− | 27.2% | 8.5% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Marietta-Alderwood | B | 29.9% | 10.5% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Custer | — | — | — | — |
Custer: 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 Ferndale adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ferndale
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ferndale is better than Washington on 1 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Ferndale’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ferndale | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.5%14.7–18.5 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.9%11.6–14.5 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.6–20.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.2%23.7–30.9 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.5%7.5–9.6 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 27.1%24.7–29.6 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.1%29.5–34.9 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23%21.1–25.2 | 24.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.7–12.1 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%7–8.3 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 5.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.1%4.5–5.8 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.6–3.1 | 2.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.8%7.2–10.5 | 9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.5%10–13.3 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 17.2%14.9–19.9 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%16.1–20.8 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.2%26.7–33.7 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7.4–10 | 8.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.2%66.2–72.2 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.6%62.8–68.4 | 67% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.3%80.4–84.1 | 84% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.7%66.8–72.5 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.2%62.4–69.7 | 66.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.8%69–79.8 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.6%26.8–32.6 | 25.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28%25.3–31.1 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.2%10–12.5 | 10.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.4%10.1–12.7 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.8%5.1–6.6 | 5.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8%7.3–8.8 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.5%11.3–13.8 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.8%26–32 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.6%9.4–12 | 10.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.1%13.6–16.9 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.7–7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.6–8.2 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 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 Ferndale
Is Ferndale a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ferndale is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #111 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 85%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ferndale?
CDC estimates 27.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.7% and 30.9%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ferndale?
Island Hospital in Anacortes, 24.2 miles in a straight line from Ferndale’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ferndale have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.4–10%), 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 Ferndale 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 Ferndale.
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.