Photo: ECTran71 · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Washington, Moses Lake is healthier than 23% of graded towns
Moses Lake differs from Washington on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Moses Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Moses Lake
Washington sets a high bar
Moses Lake is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, but only 23% of the 285 Washington towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Moses Lake
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (14%), vs 10.2% across Washington. Utility shut-off threats (6.8% vs 5.1%) and housing insecurity (12.8% vs 9.9%) are higher too. 15.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in Moses Lake has no health insurance
14.6% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.4% across Washington. Checkups ↓
More Moses Lake adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (23.2%), vs 17.9% across Washington. There are 14 miles of trails across 29 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
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 Moses Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Moses Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Moses Lake is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, #221 of 285 in Washington. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 76% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 33%).
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). Moses Lake’s median household income is $74,752; among the 10,854 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$93K), it’s healthier than 66%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.9% of Moses Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Keeping up with care
Share of Moses Lake 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.
14 miles of trails across 29 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Moses Lake adults…
Moses Lake runs below WA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Moses Lake
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Moses Lake, 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 Moses Lake; ≈ 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).
How Moses Lake 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.
Moses Lake and the towns around it
Moses Lake has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moses Lake | B | 37.3% | 10.4% | 11.8% | CDC place |
| Cascade Valley | C | 39.7% | 12.3% | 14.1% | CDC place |
| Moses Lake North | C− | 41.7% | 11.7% | 16.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Moses Lake adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Moses Lake
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Moses Lake is better than Washington on 1 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Moses Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Moses Lake | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.8%18.7–23.3 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.5–15.5 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16.2–20 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.3%32.6–42.7 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 10.4%9.2–11.8 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.8%28–34 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.6%29.6–36 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.1%21.9–26.6 | 24.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.8–12.3 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.9%6.3–7.6 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.3–6.4 | 5.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.4 | 2.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.7%9.8–14.1 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.8%10.3–13.5 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 23.2%20.3–26.5 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 18.5%15.9–21.6 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.5%28.5–36.8 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.6%12.9–16.6 | 8.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.4%66–72.9 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.5%55.4–61.6 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.7%77.6–81.8 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.7%67–72.5 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.2%57.2–65.4 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.2%64.7–77.3 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%21.5–27.5 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.2%27–33.4 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14%12.6–15.4 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.8%11.4–14.2 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.8%6–7.6 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.3%8.5–10.2 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.9%14.3–17.4 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.1%28.9–35.7 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.8%11.4–14.4 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%15.3–18.7 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.4–7.9 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.7–9.4 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.5–4.2 | 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 Moses Lake
Is Moses Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Moses Lake is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #221 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 66%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Moses Lake?
CDC estimates 37.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.6% and 42.7%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Moses Lake?
Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Moses Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Moses Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.9–16.6%), 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 Moses Lake 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 Moses Lake.
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.