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A−Health Grade
Health in Fircrest · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Fircrest is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns

Fircrest differs from Washington on 10 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 5 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fircrest. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Fircrest

Fircrest keeps up with checkups

It beats Washington on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (73.4% vs 70.7%) and dentist visits (71.9% vs 67%). Checkups ↓

Cancer runs high in Fircrest

1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.1%), vs 7.9% across Washington. Conditions ↓

Nearly everyone in Fircrest is insured

Only 5.8% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.4% across Washington. Checkups ↓

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 Fircrest’s likely range.

Health Grade

What’s behind Fircrest’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fircrest is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, #88 of 285 in Washington. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 96% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 60%.

ASelf-rated health14.3% · WA 16.3% · U.S. 19.4%
B+Physical distress12.5% · WA 12.4% · U.S. 13%
B+Mental distress15.9% · WA 16.4% · U.S. 15.9%
BObesity34.8% · WA 30.6% · U.S. 32.9%
A−Diabetes10.1% · WA 9.5% · U.S. 12%
ASmoking9.1% smoke · WA 10.1% · U.S. 11.8%
A+Exercise15.9% · WA 17.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 84%
Less healthyHealthier
Washington towns we grade (285)Healthier than 69%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $85K–$142K (6,613)Healthier than 71%

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). Fircrest’s median household income is $113,926; among the 6,613 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($85K–$142K), it’s healthier than 71%, about where its income would put it.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Fircrest could be anywhere from B+ to A.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Fircrest adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.

73%Yearly checkupWA 71%
72%Dentist visitWA 67%
87%Cholesterol checkWA 84%
68%Colon screeningWA 66%
75%MammogramWA 74%
73%Taking BP medsWA 71%
1 in 17
working-age adults has no health insurance
Fircrest 5.8% · Washington 1 in 12 (8.4%)
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Fircrest adults…

Fircrest runs above WA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

9 of every 100 Fircrest adults have had cancer
Washington: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 8.3–9.9%
Better than WAWorseAbout the sameWashington
Getting care

Care in and near Fircrest

No hospital or community health center in Fircrest itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERMary Bridge Children's HospitalTacoma · ≈3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySt. Anthony Hospital★★★★★ · 10.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSea Mar Community Health CentersTacoma · 1.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1.9 mi
Sea Mar Community Health Centers
7 sites · nearest in Tacoma
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
≈3 mi
Mary Bridge Children's Hospital
Tacoma · not rated
ERChildren’s
3.3 mi
St. Joseph Medical Center
Tacoma · ★★★★★
ER
3.3 mi
Hilltop Regional Health Center
Tacoma · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
3.6 mi
Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital
Tacoma · ★★★★★
ER
5.3 mi
St. Clare Hospital
Lakewood · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careFircrest is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careFircrest is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthFircrest is not a shortage area

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 Fircrest; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Washington

Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.

Get no exercise 15.9%WA 17.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 34.8%WA 31.8%
Binge drink 16.5%WA 16.6%
Smoke cigarettes 9.1%WA 10.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Fircrest, betterFircrest, worseAbout the sameWashington
Where Fircrest gets moving

3.7 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Fircrest adults are doing

About the same as Washington on each measure.

1 in 4Fircrest adults lack social or emotional support
27.1% · WA 28% · About the same as WA
1 in 4Fircrest adults have been diagnosed with depression
25.7% · WA 25.1% · About the same as WA
1 in 6Fircrest adults are in frequent mental distress
15.9% · WA 16.4% · About the same as WA
The one neighbors can help with

A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 11
Fircrest adults worry about having enough food
8.9% · WA 10.2%
Better than WA
1 in 11
Fircrest adults worry about keeping their housing
9.4% · WA 9.9%
About the same as WA
1 in 20
Fircrest adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
4.9% · WA 5.1%
About the same as WA
1 in 15
Fircrest adults lack reliable transportation
6.6% · WA 7.2%
About the same as WA

9% of Fircrest adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.

Around town

Fircrest and the towns around it

Fircrest has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.

University Place: 35.2%Tacoma: 37.3%Lakewood: 39%Steilacoom: 35.6%Midland: 38.7%Fife: 37.4%Browns Point: 35.3%Dash Point: 34.3%Fife Heights: 40.2%Parkland: 39.3%Waller: 36.9%Federal Way: 27%Vashon: 24.8%Fircrest: 34.8%FircrestUniversity PlaceTacomaMary Bridge Children's Hospital · Tacoma · 3 miHSt. Joseph Medical Center · Tacoma · 3.3 mi · 3★ MedicareHTacoma General Allenmore Hospital · Tacoma · 3.6 mi · 2★ MedicareHSt. Clare Hospital · Lakewood · 5.3 mi · 4★ MedicareHSea Mar CHC - Tacoma S. Cedar St. · Tacoma · 1.9 mi+Hilltop Regional Health Center · Tacoma · 3.3 mi+
Healthier than WANear WALess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#4 of 14 towns on this map, healthiest first
Fircrest34.8%
University Place35.2%
Tacoma37.3%
WA30.6%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
FircrestA−34.8%10.1%9.1%CDC place
University PlaceA−35.2%10.8%9.9%CDC place
TacomaB37.3%10.9%11.9%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

28%

of Fircrest adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs11.1%
Thinking or memory12.9%
Hearing6.7%
Errands alone6.3%
Vision3.5%
Dressing or bathing2.8%
Washington

Every CDC estimate for Fircrest

Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fircrest is better than Washington on 5 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Fircrest’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…FircrestWAU.S.vs WA
Overall health
Fair or poor health14.3%12.4–16.616.3%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)12.5%11–14.112.4%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)15.9%14.3–17.616.4%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity34.8%31.7–37.930.6%32.9%Worse
Diabetes10.1%8.9–11.39.5%12%About the same
High blood pressure33.1%30.8–35.430.5%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)36.9%34.6–3934.9%37.1%About the same
Arthritis27.8%25.8–29.724.4%25.3%Worse
Asthma10.7%9.7–11.710.7%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer9.1%8.3–9.97.9%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease5.3%4.7–6.15.4%6.4%About the same
COPD4.7%3.9–5.75.1%6.3%About the same
Stroke2.9%2.5–3.32.9%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)9.1%7.6–10.69%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes9.1%7.4–10.910.1%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work15.9%13.6–18.417.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking16.5%14.7–18.216.6%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours34.8%32.2–37.631.8%36%Worse
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)5.8%4.7–78.4%11%Better
Checkup in the past year73.4%71.1–75.670.7%77.4%Better
Dentist visit in the past year71.9%69.8–73.967%63.2%Better
Cholesterol check in 5 years86.9%85.3–88.484%87.1%Better
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)73.2%70.7–75.570.7%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)67.6%64.9–70.266.2%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)75%70.9–78.974.2%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression25.7%23.5–27.825.1%20.6%About the same
Lack social and emotional support27.1%25–29.328%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food8.9%8.1–9.810.2%15%Better
Worried about keeping housing9.4%8.5–10.49.9%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off4.9%4.4–5.55.1%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation6.6%6–7.27.2%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)9%8.2–1011%11.6%Lower
Disability
Any disability28%25.1–31.127.1%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs11.1%9.5–12.910.9%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering12.9%11.3–14.613.5%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty6.7%5.9–7.56.4%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty3.5%3.1–4.14.1%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone6.3%5.4–7.46.8%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing2.8%2.4–3.33.1%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 Fircrest

Is Fircrest a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fircrest is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #88 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 71%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Fircrest?

CDC estimates 34.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.7% and 37.9%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Fircrest?

St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, 3.3 miles in a straight line from Fircrest’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

How many people in Fircrest have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 5.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.7–7%), 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 Fircrest 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 Fircrest.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.