Photo: Sea Cow · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Forks is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns
Forks trails Washington on 23 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Forks. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Forks
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Forks
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.8%), vs 5.1% across Washington. 1 in 24 adults have had a stroke (4.2%), vs 2.9% across Washington. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.3%, vs 5.4% across Washington. In all, Forks runs above Washington on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Forks
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (17.8%), vs 10.1% across Washington. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Forks
50.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67% across Washington. Among those 65 and older, 14.6% 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 Forks’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Forks’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forks is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns, #275 of 285 in Washington. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 48% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Forks’ median household income is $60,481; among the 9,051 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$76K), it’s healthier than 35%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Most Washington towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Forks is healthier than 4% of graded towns, against 24% nationally.
Out of every 100 Forks adults…
Forks runs above WA on 9 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.
2.9 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Forks adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Care in and near Forks
1 hospital in Forks, 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 Forks; ≈ 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 Forks adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Forks 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.
24.9% of Forks adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Forks and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forks | C− | 36.4% | 12.4% | 17.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Forks adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Forks
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Forks is better than Washington on 0 and worse on 23; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Forks’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Forks | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.6%21.8–29.4 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%15.4–20 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.9%17.6–22.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.4%31.1–41.8 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.4%10.7–14.2 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.9%31.5–38.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.8%33.3–40.2 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.4%27.3–33.2 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.5%11.1–14 | 10.7% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.3–8.3 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.8%7.3–10.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.6%12–17.6 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.8%14.5–21 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26%21.8–30.3 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%12.9–18.1 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.3%29.6–39.3 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.6%11.1–16.4 | 8.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 66.4%62.6–70.2 | 70.7% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.7%47.3–54.2 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.5%75.7–81.1 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.5%68.3–74.5 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.6%54.9–64.2 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.6%62.5–76.2 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28%24.4–31.5 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.8%25.4–32 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.6%16.7–20.3 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.1%13.4–16.7 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9%7.9–10.1 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.9%10.9–12.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.9%22.6–27 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.4%32.8–41.9 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.2%14.6–19.8 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.8%17–22.5 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.4–9.5 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.3%6.3–8.3 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.2%9.6–12.8 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.6%4.8–6.4 | 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 Forks
Is Forks a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forks is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #275 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 35%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Forks?
CDC estimates 36.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.1% and 41.8%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Forks?
Forks Community Hospital in Forks, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Forks’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Forks have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.1–16.4%), 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 Forks more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Forks.
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.