Whitman Mission National Historic Site · Photo: National Park Service · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Garrett is healthier than 23%
Garrett differs from Washington on 13 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Garrett. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Garrett
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Garrett
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.3%), vs 5.1% across Washington. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.7%), vs 5.4% across Washington. Stroke is also above the state: 4%, vs 2.9% across Washington. In all, Garrett runs above Washington on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Washington 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Garrett is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Garrett’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 ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Garrett’s lead shrinks
Garrett is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns, but 23% of the 5,936 towns with similar household incomes ($89K–$148K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
In Garrett, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 8.1% of working-age adults are uninsured (Washington 8.4%), yet 20% say their health is fair or poor, vs 16.3% across the state. Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in Garrett, and more people treating it
36.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Washington 30.5%), but 75.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 70.7% statewide. 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 Garrett’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Garrett’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Garrett is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 86% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 27%).
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). Garrett’s median household income is $118,609; among the 5,936 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($89K–$148K), it’s healthier than 23%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Garrett adults…
Garrett runs above WA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Garrett is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Washington. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Garrett as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Garrett
No hospital or community health center in Garrett 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 Garrett; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Garrett adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Garrett adults are doing
About the same as Washington on each measure.
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.
13.3% of Garrett adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Garrett and the towns around it
Garrett’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett | B | 35.7% | 12.1% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| College Place | B+ | 32.4% | 9.5% | 10% | CDC place |
| Walla Walla | B | 35% | 10.7% | 12.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Garrett adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Garrett
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Garrett is better than Washington on 1 and worse on 12; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Garrett’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Garrett | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%16.7–23.1 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.4–17.8 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14–18.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.7%30.2–41.4 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.1%10.3–14 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.3%32.5–40 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.9%35.1–42.6 | 34.9% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.3%28–34.7 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.3–13.1 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.6–11.6 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.7%6.6–8.8 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.3%5.9–8.8 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.5–4.6 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.7%11.3–16.2 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.2%9.7–14.9 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.5%15.9–23.2 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.5%12.1–17.3 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.5%25.2–33.9 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.1%6.3–10 | 8.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.8%70.4–77.3 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.7%59.6–65.8 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.7%83.9–87.6 | 84% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.5%72.2–78.7 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.3%62.8–71.4 | 66.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72%64.8–78.3 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.5%22.2–29 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.8%22.8–28.8 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.7%9.5–11.9 | 10.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.8%8.6–10.9 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.7%5–6.4 | 5.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.5%6.8–8.2 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.3%11.8–14.7 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.8%27.4–36 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.6%12.1–17.1 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.2%12.1–16.3 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.6–9.8 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.3–5.8 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7–9.6 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.5–5 | 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 Garrett
Is Garrett a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Garrett is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Garrett?
CDC estimates 35.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.2% and 41.4%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Garrett?
Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla, 5.6 miles in a straight line from Garrett’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Garrett have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.3–10%), 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 Garrett more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Garrett.
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.