Red Shield Inn · Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Washington, Fort Lewis is healthier than 49% of graded towns
Fort Lewis differs from Washington on 27 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Lewis. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Lewis
Mental distress runs high in Fort Lewis
1 in 4 adults are in frequent mental distress (25.4%), vs 16.4% across Washington. Lack of emotional support is above the state too: 36.7%, vs 28% across Washington. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Fort Lewis
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.2%), about twice the Washington rate. No reliable transportation (15.5% vs 7.2%) and housing insecurity (18.5% vs 9.9%) are higher too. 22.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Fort Lewis doesn’t win on
23.6% of adults binge drink, vs 16.6% across Washington. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Washington sets a high bar
Fort Lewis is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, but only 49% of the 285 Washington towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Fort Lewis is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fort Lewis is healthier than 75%. Against the 8,593 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 96%. Health Grade ↓
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 Fort Lewis’ likely range.
What’s behind Fort Lewis’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Lewis is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, #147 of 285 in Washington. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Fort Lewis’ median household income is $58,796; among the 8,593 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 96%, more than its income alone would suggest.
How Fort Lewis adults are doing
On 3 of 3 measures, Fort Lewis 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.
22.2% of Fort Lewis adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Fort Lewis adults…
Fort Lewis runs below WA on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 0% of Fort Lewis residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Washington. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Fort Lewis
No hospital or community health center in Fort Lewis 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 Fort Lewis; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Lewis adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Fort Lewis and the towns around it
Fort Lewis’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lewis | B+ | 35.2% | 3.3% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Lakewood | C+ | 39% | 12.7% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| North Fort Lewis | A− | 34.4% | 3.5% | 9.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fort Lewis adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Lewis
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Lewis is better than Washington on 9 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Fort Lewis’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Lewis | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.8%14.8–18.8 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.6%9.5–11.7 | 12.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 25.4%23–27.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%32.1–38.3 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 9.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 16%14.6–17.5 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 17.4%15.9–18.8 | 34.9% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 7.7%7–8.4 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.7–11.7 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 1.2%1.1–1.4 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 1.4%1.2–1.5 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 2.5%2.1–2.8 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 0.9%0.8–1 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.2%15.7–20.9 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.9%9.3–12.3 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.1%15.8–20.4 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 23.6%21.2–25.9 | 16.6% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.8%37–42.6 | 31.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.9%11.9–16.2 | 8.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 57.3%54.2–60.1 | 70.7% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.6%52.2–57 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 61.2%57.9–64.5 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 28.8%26.3–31.4 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 43.7%40.8–46.6 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 64.9%60–69.6 | 74.2% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.7%27.3–32 | 25.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 36.7%34.2–39.3 | 28% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.2%19.5–23 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.5%16.8–20.2 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.5%8.4–10.5 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.5%14.2–16.8 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22.2%20.5–24 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33%29.8–36 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 4.8%4.2–5.4 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 23.9%21.2–26.3 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8.1–10.4 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.1%1.8–2.3 | 3.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Fort Lewis
Is Fort Lewis a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Lewis is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #147 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fort Lewis?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.1% and 38.3%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Lewis?
St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood, 5.1 miles in a straight line from Fort Lewis’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fort Lewis have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.9–16.2%), 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 Fort Lewis 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 Fort Lewis.
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.