On CDC estimates, Fords Prairie is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Fords Prairie differs from Washington on 26 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 25 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fords Prairie. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fords Prairie
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Fords Prairie
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10%), about twice the Washington rate. 1 in 20 adults have had a stroke (4.9%), vs 2.9% across Washington. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.9%, vs 5.4% across Washington. In all, Fords Prairie runs above Washington on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Fords Prairie adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (28.1%), vs 17.9% across Washington. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Fords Prairie
51.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67% across Washington. Among those 65 and older, 18.8% have lost all their teeth (Washington 9%). 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 Fords Prairie’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Fords Prairie’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fords Prairie is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 33% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Fords Prairie’s median household income is $55,608; among the 7,614 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 18%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Fords Prairie adults…
Fords Prairie runs above WA on 10 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.
2.7 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Fords Prairie adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Care in and near Fords Prairie
No hospital or community health center in Fords Prairie 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 Fords Prairie; ≈ 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 Fords Prairie adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Fords Prairie 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
22.1% of Fords Prairie adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Fords Prairie and the towns around it
Fords Prairie’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fords Prairie | D | 42.5% | 14.9% | 17.9% | CDC place |
| Centralia | C | 39.7% | 12% | 15% | CDC place |
| Grand Mound | B− | 34.9% | 11.4% | 14% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fords Prairie adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fords Prairie
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fords Prairie is better than Washington on 1 and worse on 25; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Fords Prairie’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fords Prairie | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.8%23.2–30.7 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.1%16.8–21.5 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.5–21.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.5%37–48.1 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.9%13–16.9 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.5%36.1–43 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40%36.5–43.8 | 34.9% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33.1%30.2–36.2 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.6–13.3 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.4%8.5–10.4 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.9%7.8–10 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10%8.4–11.6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.9%4.3–5.6 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.8%15.5–22.2 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.9%15–21.1 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.1%24–32.6 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12.3–17.2 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.5%33.8–43.4 | 31.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.8%10.3–15.8 | 8.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.4%64.5–72 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.7%48.1–55.3 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.1%77.6–82.6 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.1%72.4–77.9 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.4%54.8–63.9 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 64.8%57.4–71.8 | 74.2% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.8%24.5–31.4 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.9%26.8–33.3 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.8%15.2–18.7 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.7%12.2–15.4 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.7%6.8–8.8 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.7%9.7–11.7 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22.1%20.1–24.3 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.4%35.1–43.9 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.3%16.6–22 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.2%16.7–21.9 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.5%9.3–11.7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.6%6.6–8.7 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.8%10.2–13.6 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6%5.1–6.9 | 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 Fords Prairie
Is Fords Prairie a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fords Prairie is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 18%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fords Prairie?
CDC estimates 42.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 37% and 48.1%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fords Prairie?
Providence Centralia Hospital in Centralia, 2.6 miles in a straight line from Fords Prairie’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fords Prairie have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.3–15.8%), 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 Fords Prairie more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fords Prairie.
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.