Photo: David Brooks (User:DavidBrooks) · CC BY-SA 2.5On CDC estimates, McChord AFB is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
McChord AFB differs from Washington on 29 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for McChord AFB. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in McChord AFB
Binge drinking is the habit McChord AFB doesn’t win on
24.1% of adults binge drink, vs 16.6% across Washington, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in McChord AFB
McChord AFB runs below Washington on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (1.8% vs 7.9%), heart disease (1.4% vs 5.4%) and stroke (1% vs 2.9%). A young population is part of it: only 0% of residents are 65 or older (Washington 17%). Conditions ↓
Mental distress runs high in McChord AFB
1 in 4 adults are in frequent mental distress (23.6%), vs 16.4% across Washington. Lack of emotional support is above the state too: 34%, vs 28% across Washington. Mind & connection ↓
McChord AFB is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, McChord AFB is healthier than 81%. Against the 7,363 towns with similar household incomes ($41K–$69K), it’s healthier than 99%. Health Grade ↓
McChord AFB is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its A− tops all three graded neighbors. The closest is Spanaway (C+). Around town ↓
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 McChord AFB’s likely range.
What’s behind McChord AFB’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, McChord AFB is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #104 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). McChord AFB’s median household income is $54,808; among the 7,363 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$69K), it’s healthier than 99%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Washington towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state McChord AFB is healthier than 64% of graded towns, against 81% nationally.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 McChord AFB adults…
McChord AFB runs below WA on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 0% of McChord AFB residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Washington. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
How McChord AFB adults are doing
On 3 of 3 measures, McChord AFB 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.
McChord AFB and the towns around it
McChord AFB has the best Health Grade of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McChord AFB | A− | 34.4% | 3.5% | 10.1% | CDC place |
| Lakewood | C+ | 39% | 12.7% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| Parkland | C+ | 39.3% | 11.8% | 13.7% | CDC place |
| Spanaway | C+ | 39.5% | 11.5% | 13.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near McChord AFB
No hospital or community health center in McChord AFB 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 McChord AFB; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of McChord AFB 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.
19.5% of McChord AFB adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of McChord AFB adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for McChord AFB
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, McChord AFB is better than Washington on 11 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside McChord AFB’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | McChord AFB | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.6%11.9–15.4 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.9%8.7–11 | 12.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 23.6%21.2–25.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.4%31.2–37.7 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 9.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 16.1%14.6–17.7 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 19%17.4–20.5 | 34.9% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 9.3%8.4–10.3 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.8–12 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 1.8%1.6–1.9 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 1.4%1.2–1.6 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 2.3%2–2.6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1%0.9–1 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.2%12–16.7 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.1%8.4–11.9 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 15.2%13.1–17.3 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 24.1%21.7–26.4 | 16.6% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40%37.2–42.9 | 31.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.4%8.7–12.2 | 8.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 59.1%56.1–62 | 70.7% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.2%53.7–58.7 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 68.4%65.2–71.5 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 35.4%32.5–38.1 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 44%41.1–47 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.6%62.7–71.9 | 74.2% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30%27.5–32.6 | 25.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 34%31.6–36.5 | 28% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.6%16.1–19.3 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.1%15.5–18.7 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.9%8–10 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.1%12.1–14.3 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.5%17.8–21.3 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.1%24.9–31 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 4.6%4–5.2 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.3%17.7–22.6 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 3%2.6–3.4 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.4–8.5 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.8%1.6–2 | 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 McChord AFB
Is McChord AFB a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, McChord AFB is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #104 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 99%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in McChord AFB?
CDC estimates 34.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.2% and 37.7%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to McChord AFB?
St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood, 1.6 miles in a straight line from McChord AFB’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in McChord AFB have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.7–12.2%), 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 McChord AFB 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 McChord AFB.
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.