Photo: Nesnad · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Nooksack is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Nooksack differs from Washington on 6 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Nooksack. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Nooksack
Nooksack is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Nooksack’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Depression is more common in Nooksack
3 in 10 adults have been diagnosed with depression (30.4%), vs 25.1% across Washington. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.7%, vs 16.4% across Washington. Mind & connection ↓
The nearest ER is 30 miles from Nooksack
The closest emergency room is Peacehealth United General Medical Center in Sedro Woolley, 30 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Sea Mar Community Health Centers is closer (6.1 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. 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 Nooksack’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Nooksack’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nooksack is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 22%).
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). Nooksack’s median household income is $97,159; among the 8,994 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($73K–$121K), it’s healthier than 75%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Nooksack
No hospital or community health center in Nooksack 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 Nooksack; ≈ 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 Nooksack adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Nooksack 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 Nooksack adults…
Nooksack runs below WA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Nooksack residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Washington. Diabetes run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
0.8 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Nooksack 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.
10.1% of Nooksack adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Nooksack and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Nooksack adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Nooksack
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Nooksack is better than Washington on 3 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Nooksack’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Nooksack | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.4%13.9–19.1 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13%11.4–14.9 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.7–21 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.7%24.1–31.5 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.1%7–9.3 | 9.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 26.6%24.1–29.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.8%29.1–34.7 | 34.9% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22.9%20.8–25.3 | 24.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.8–12.2 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.6%6.9–8.4 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.4–5.6 | 5.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.1%4.3–6.1 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.4–3.1 | 2.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.3%8.5–12.3 | 9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.8%9.6–14.3 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 17%14.2–20 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.2%16.8–21.7 | 16.6% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.8%27.3–34.4 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.3%7.5–11.3 | 8.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.5%65.4–71.6 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65%62.1–67.7 | 67% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.1%79.6–84.2 | 84% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.9%65.8–71.7 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.8%64–71.3 | 66.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75%69.3–80.2 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.4%27.4–33.5 | 25.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.4%23.8–29.3 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.7%8.6–10.8 | 10.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.2%9.1–11.4 | 9.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.1%4.5–5.8 | 5.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.2%6.5–7.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.1%9–11.3 | 11% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.9%25.4–32.6 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.3%8.6–12 | 10.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.5%13.4–17.7 | 13.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.5–7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.5–4.6 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.2–8.4 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 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 Nooksack
Is Nooksack a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nooksack is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 75%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Nooksack?
CDC estimates 27.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.1% and 31.5%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Nooksack?
Peacehealth United General Medical Center in Sedro Woolley, 30.0 miles in a straight line from Nooksack’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Nooksack have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.5–11.3%), 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 Nooksack 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 Nooksack.
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.