Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, NV, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Gig Harbor is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns
Gig Harbor differs from Washington on 24 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gig Harbor. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gig Harbor
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Gig Harbor
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.1%), vs 7.9% across Washington. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (32.4%), vs 24.4% across Washington. Heart disease is also above the state: 6.7%, vs 5.4% across Washington. In all, Gig Harbor runs above Washington on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Washington 17%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Gig Harbor keeps up with checkups
It beats Washington on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (76.5% vs 70.7%) and dentist visits (75.2% vs 67%). Checkups ↓
More high blood pressure in Gig Harbor, and more people treating it
36.6% of adults have high blood pressure (Washington 30.5%), but 77.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 70.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Gig Harbor has a five-star hospital
St. Anthony Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Gig Harbor’s likely range.
What’s behind Gig Harbor’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gig Harbor is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, #73 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 diabetes, still better than 68%.
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). Gig Harbor’s median household income is $118,395; among the 5,969 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($89K–$148K), it’s healthier than 76%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Gig Harbor adults…
Gig Harbor runs below WA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
Gig Harbor is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Washington. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Gig Harbor as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gig Harbor adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Care in and near Gig Harbor
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Gig Harbor, 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 Gig Harbor; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
5.9 miles of trails across 18 parks and preserves
How Gig Harbor adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Gig Harbor does better than 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.
5.7% of Gig Harbor adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Gig Harbor and the towns around it
Gig Harbor’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gig Harbor | A | 32.5% | 10.9% | 7.7% | CDC place |
| Maplewood | A− | 34.7% | 11.3% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Rosedale | A | 34.7% | 8.9% | 9% | CDC place |
| Wollochet | A | 33.5% | 10.7% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Canterwood | A | 33.4% | 10.9% | 8.2% | CDC place |
| Artondale | A | 33.4% | 9.6% | 8% | CDC place |
| Purdy | A | 33.6% | 10.8% | 8.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gig Harbor adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Gig Harbor
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gig Harbor is better than Washington on 17 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Gig Harbor’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Gig Harbor | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.1%12.6–15.7 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.7%11.4–14 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.6–15.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.5%29.4–35.4 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.7–12.1 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.6%34.3–38.7 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.6%38.2–42.9 | 34.9% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.4%30.2–34.4 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.2–11.1 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.1%11.2–13.1 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.4 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.2%4.5–5.9 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.4%5.4–7.5 | 9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.7%6.6–8.8 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.9%13.9–17.8 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.7%13.1–16.1 | 16.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.4%28.9–34 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.3%4.6–6.2 | 8.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.5%74.6–78.3 | 70.7% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.2%73.3–77.1 | 67% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%88.3–90.3 | 84% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.7%75.5–79.7 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.2%70.8–75.6 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.2%72.1–79.8 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%22.2–26.2 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.3%21.5–25.3 | 28% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.8%5.3–6.4 | 10.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 9.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.6%4.2–5.1 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 11% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.6%27.2–31.9 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.5%11.1–14 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.5%10.3–12.7 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.7–9.4 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–4 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 3.1% | 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 Gig Harbor
Is Gig Harbor a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gig Harbor is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns: A for health, #73 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 76%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Gig Harbor?
CDC estimates 32.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.4% and 35.4%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Gig Harbor?
St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor, 2.1 miles in a straight line from Gig Harbor’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Gig Harbor have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.6–6.2%), 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 Gig Harbor more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gig Harbor.
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.