Judge Columbia Lancaster House · Photo: TDavisPayne · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Washington, La Center is healthier than 42% of graded towns
La Center differs from Washington on 9 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for La Center. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in La Center
Washington sets a high bar
La Center is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, but only 42% of the 285 Washington towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Mental distress runs high in La Center
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (18.6%), vs 16.4% across Washington. Depression is above the state too: 28%, vs 25.1% across Washington. Mind & connection ↓
Obesity runs high in La Center
1 in 3 adults have obesity (35.3%), vs 30.6% across Washington. Conditions ↓
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 La Center’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind La Center’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Center is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, #167 of 285 in Washington. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 88% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 24%).
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). La Center’s median household income is $101,708; among the 8,332 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($76K–$127K), it’s healthier than 57%, about where its income would put it.
How La Center adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, La Center 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.
Out of every 100 La Center adults…
La Center runs above WA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near La Center
No hospital or community health center in La Center 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 La Center; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
3.2 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of La Center adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.9% of La Center adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
La Center and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Center | B+ | 35.3% | 9.3% | 11.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of La Center adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for La Center
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, La Center is better than Washington on 3 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside La Center’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | La Center | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.3%14–18.8 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.8–15.2 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.6%16.7–20.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.3%32–38.9 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 9.3%8.1–10.5 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.2%28.9–33.7 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.1%31.7–36.6 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.7%24.7–29 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12%10.9–13.4 | 10.7% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9%8.2–9.8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.5%4.9–6.3 | 5.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%4.8–6.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.6–3.4 | 2.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.1%6.5–9.6 | 9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.4%9.4–13.6 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.8%16.1–21.7 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%14.9–19 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.6%27.5–33.4 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.7%5.4–8.4 | 8.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.3%66.6–71.9 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.4%65.8–70.7 | 67% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85%82.9–86.6 | 84% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.1%69.3–74.7 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.2%64–69.9 | 66.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74%68.8–78.2 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28%25.6–30.7 | 25.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.5%23.2–27.9 | 28% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.3%7.5–9.2 | 10.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.9%7.9–9.9 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 5.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.3%5.8–6.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.9%8.1–9.9 | 11% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.5%24.5–30.9 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.7%10–13.6 | 10.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.9%12–15.8 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.2–4.2 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%5.9–7.9 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.6–3.6 | 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 La Center
Is La Center a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Center is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #167 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 57%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in La Center?
CDC estimates 35.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 32% and 38.9%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to La Center?
Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center in Vancouver, 9.7 miles in a straight line from La Center’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in La Center have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.4–8.4%), 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 La Center 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 La Center.
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.