Photo: Ian Poellet (User:Werewombat) · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Washington, Kelso is healthier than 6% of graded towns
Kelso trails Washington on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Kelso. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Kelso
COPD, obesity and arthritis run high in Kelso
1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.6%), vs 5.1% across Washington. 2 in 5 adults have obesity (42.5%), vs 30.6% across Washington. Arthritis is also above the state: 30.6%, vs 24.4% across Washington. In all, Kelso runs above Washington on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Kelso
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (15.8%), vs 10.2% across Washington. Utility shut-off threats (8.1% vs 5.1%) and no reliable transportation (10.5% vs 7.2%) are higher too. 20.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Kelso
55.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67% across Washington. Among those 65 and older, 13.5% 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 Kelso’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Kelso’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kelso is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #268 of 285 in Washington. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 67% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Kelso’s median household income is $66,751; among the 10,168 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 36%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Kelso adults…
Kelso runs above WA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.3% of Kelso adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Keeping up with care
Share of Kelso adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Care in and near Kelso
2 community health centers in Kelso, 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 Kelso; ≈ 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.
6.2 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Kelso adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Kelso 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.
Kelso and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Kelso adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Kelso
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Kelso is better than Washington on 0 and worse on 22; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Kelso’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Kelso | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.6%20.2–25.3 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.7–18.1 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.1%19.1–23.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.5%38–47.1 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11%9.8–12.4 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.3%30.5–36.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.3%29.5–35.2 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.6%28.2–33.1 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 13%11.7–14.4 | 10.7% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8%7.3–8.7 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.9–7.2 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.6%6.8–8.6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.5%11.4–15.9 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%13.4–17.6 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 23.9%21–27.3 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%14.7–19.7 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.6%33.8–41.7 | 31.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.9%9.3–12.5 | 8.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.1%65.9–72.3 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.4%52.5–58.3 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.5%77.3–81.4 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.2%66.3–72 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.8%62.1–69.4 | 66.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71%65–76.6 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.4%26.4–32.6 | 25.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.3%26.6–32.2 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.8%14.4–17.3 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.2%12.8–15.7 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.1%7.2–9 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.5%9.6–11.4 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.3%18.6–22.1 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.2%32–38.7 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.6%13–16.4 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.6%16.8–20.6 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.9–8.6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.1%9.1–11.3 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.1–5 | 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 Kelso
Is Kelso a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Kelso is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #268 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 36%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Kelso?
CDC estimates 42.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 38% and 47.1%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Kelso?
Peacehealth St. John Medical Center in Longview, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Kelso’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Kelso have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.3–12.5%), 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 Kelso 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 Kelso.
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.