Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Pacific

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Pacific City Hall & signPhoto: Steven Pavlov · CC BY-SA 3.0
B+Health Grade
Health in Pacific · CDC PLACES 2025

Within Washington, Pacific is healthier than 45% of graded towns

Pacific differs from Washington on 18 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 15 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pacific. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Pacific

Making ends meet is harder in Pacific

1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (16.1%), vs 10.2% across Washington. Housing insecurity (15.2% vs 9.9%) and no reliable transportation (10.5% vs 7.2%) are higher too. 16.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓

Washington sets a high bar

Pacific is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, but only 45% of the 285 Washington towns we grade. Health Grade ↓

Pacific is behind on routine checkups

It trails Washington on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (67.4% vs 70.7%), dentist visits (61.5% vs 67%), cholesterol checks (81.3% vs 84%) and colon screening (61.6% vs 66.2%). Checkups ↓

More Pacific adults lack emotional support

1 in 3 adults lack social or emotional support (33.4%), vs 28% across Washington. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 19.1%, vs 16.4% across Washington. Mind & connection ↓

Against towns with similar incomes, Pacific’s lead shrinks

Pacific is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, but 45% of the 6,372 towns with similar household incomes ($87K–$145K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓

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 Pacific’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.

Health Grade

What’s behind Pacific’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pacific is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, #157 of 285 in Washington. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 92% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 17%).

BSelf-rated health18.4% · WA 16.3% · U.S. 19.4%
B+Physical distress13.2% · WA 12.4% · U.S. 13%
C−Mental distress19.1% · WA 16.4% · U.S. 15.9%
AObesity28.3% · WA 30.6% · U.S. 32.9%
ADiabetes8.9% · WA 9.5% · U.S. 12%
A−Smoking11.8% smoke · WA 10.1% · U.S. 11.8%
AExercise19.1% · WA 17.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 73%
Less healthyHealthier
Washington towns we grade (285)Healthier than 45%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $87K–$145K (6,372)Healthier than 45%

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). Pacific’s median household income is $115,625; among the 6,372 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($87K–$145K), it’s healthier than 45%, about where its income would put it.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Pacific could be anywhere from B to A.
A note on the data.property crimes reported to the FBI went from 123 in 2024 to 56 in 2025

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6
Pacific adults worry about having enough food
16.1% · WA 10.2%
Worse than WA
1 in 7
Pacific adults worry about keeping their housing
15.2% · WA 9.9%
Worse than WA
1 in 14
Pacific adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.9% · WA 5.1%
Worse than WA
1 in 10
Pacific adults lack reliable transportation
10.5% · WA 7.2%
Worse than WA

16.7% of Pacific adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Pacific adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.

67%Yearly checkupWA 71%
62%Dentist visitWA 67%
81%Cholesterol checkWA 84%
62%Colon screeningWA 66%
75%MammogramWA 74%
66%Taking BP medsWA 71%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Pacific 11.4% · Washington 1 in 12 (8.4%)
Mind & connection

How Pacific adults are doing

On 3 of 3 measures, Pacific runs above Washington.

1 in 3Pacific adults lack social or emotional support
33.4% · WA 28% · Worse than WA
1 in 4Pacific adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.1% · WA 25.1% · Worse than WA
1 in 5Pacific adults are in frequent mental distress
19.1% · WA 16.4% · Worse than WA
The one neighbors can help with

A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Pacific adults…

Pacific runs below WA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.

6 of every 100 Pacific adults have had cancer
Washington: 8 in 100 · better · likely 5.6–6.5%
Better than WAWorseAbout the sameWashington
Why age matters in Pacific

Only 12% of Pacific residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Washington. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.

Residents 65 and older

Pacific12%
Washington17%
Getting care

Care in and near Pacific

No hospital or community health center in Pacific itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERMulticare Auburn Medical CenterAuburn · 3.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySt. Elizabeth Hospital★★★★★ · 12.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careKing CountyAuburn · 3 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
3 mi
King County
4 sites · nearest in Auburn
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
3.4 mi
Multicare Auburn Medical Center
Auburn · ★★★★★
ER
3.4 mi
Sea Mar CHC - Auburn N. Division St.
Auburn · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
3.9 mi
St. Francis Community Hospital
Federal Way · ★★★★★
ER
6.1 mi
Multicare Good Samaritan Hospital
Puyallup · ★★★★★
ER
9.3 mi
St. Joseph Medical Center
Tacoma · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary carePart of Pacific is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Southwest King Service Area · need score 16 of 25
✓ Dental carePacific is not a shortage area
! Mental healthPart of Pacific is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Auburn-Federal Way Service Area · need score 16 of 25

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 Pacific; ≈ 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).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Washington

Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.

Get no exercise 19.1%WA 17.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 33.5%WA 31.8%
Binge drink 17.7%WA 16.6%
Smoke cigarettes 11.8%WA 10.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Pacific, betterPacific, worseAbout the sameWashington
Where Pacific gets moving

0.7 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Around town

Pacific and the towns around it

Pacific’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 6 graded towns around it.

Auburn: 27.3%Algona: 26.8%Lakeland South: 24.7%Edgewood: 34.8%Sumner: 37%Lake Morton-Berrydale: 24.9%Kent: 25.7%Lake Holm: 24%Lake Tapps: 36.2%Lakeland North: 26.1%Federal Way: 27%Milton: 35%Fife: 37.4%North Puyallup: 35.6%Puyallup: 36.9%Alderton: 37.2%Bonney Lake: 36.3%Pacific: 28.3%PacificAuburnAlgonaLakeland SouthEdgewoodSumnerMulticare Auburn Medical Center · Auburn · 3.4 mi · 2★ MedicareHSt. Francis Community Hospital · Federal Way · 3.9 mi · 4★ MedicareHMulticare Good Samaritan Hospital · Puyallup · 6.1 mi · 2★ MedicareHYmca of Greater Seattle Arcadia Shelter and Drop-In Center · Auburn · 3 mi+Sea Mar CHC - Auburn N. Division St. · Auburn · 3.4 mi+
Healthier than WANear WALess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#9 of 18 towns on this map, healthiest first
Lakeland South24.7%
Algona26.8%
Auburn27.3%
Pacific28.3%
Edgewood34.8%
Sumner37%
WA30.6%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
PacificB+28.3%8.9%11.8%CDC place
AuburnA−27.3%8.8%10.4%CDC place
AlgonaB+26.8%9.4%12.3%CDC place
Lakeland SouthA24.7%8.5%9.4%CDC place
EdgewoodA−34.8%9.8%10.2%CDC place
SumnerB37%10.3%12%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

27.8%

of Pacific adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs10.2%
Thinking or memory16.1%
Hearing5.3%
Errands alone7.9%
Vision5%
Dressing or bathing3.7%
Washington

Every CDC estimate for Pacific

Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pacific is better than Washington on 3 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Pacific’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…PacificWAU.S.vs WA
Overall health
Fair or poor health18.4%16.6–20.416.3%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)13.2%11.9–14.412.4%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)19.1%17.6–20.616.4%15.9%Worse
Conditions
Obesity28.3%25.7–30.930.6%32.9%About the same
Diabetes8.9%8–9.89.5%12%About the same
High blood pressure29.1%27.4–30.830.5%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)34%32.3–35.934.9%37.1%About the same
Arthritis21.3%19.9–22.724.4%25.3%Better
Asthma11.2%10.3–12.210.7%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer6%5.6–6.57.9%7.9%Better
Coronary heart disease4.8%4.3–5.35.4%6.4%Better
COPD5.1%4.5–5.85.1%6.3%About the same
Stroke2.9%2.6–3.12.9%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)10.3%8.7–11.99%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.8%10.2–13.410.1%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work19.1%17–21.217.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking17.7%16.3–19.216.6%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours33.5%31.1–35.831.8%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)11.4%9.6–13.18.4%11%Worse
Checkup in the past year67.4%65.3–69.570.7%77.4%Worse
Dentist visit in the past year61.5%59.4–63.567%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years81.3%79.6–8384%87.1%Worse
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)65.8%63.6–67.970.7%76.5%Worse
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)61.6%59.2–63.966.2%65.5%Worse
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)74.9%71.4–78.174.2%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression27.1%25.2–29.125.1%20.6%Worse
Lack social and emotional support33.4%31.4–35.328%23.6%Worse
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food16.1%14.9–17.410.2%15%Worse
Worried about keeping housing15.2%13.9–16.49.9%12%Worse
Threatened with a utility shut-off6.9%6.2–7.65.1%7.6%Worse
Lack reliable transportation10.5%9.7–11.37.2%7.9%Worse
Received SNAP (food stamps)16.7%15.4–18.111%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability27.8%25.6–30.227.1%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs10.2%9–11.410.9%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering16.1%14.6–17.813.5%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty5.3%4.8–5.86.4%6.7%Lower
Vision difficulty5%4.5–5.54.1%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone7.9%7–8.86.8%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.7%3.2–4.13.1%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 Pacific

Is Pacific a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pacific is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #157 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 45%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Pacific?

CDC estimates 28.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.7% and 30.9%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Pacific?

Multicare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn, 3.4 miles in a straight line from Pacific’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

How many people in Pacific have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 11.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.6–13.1%), 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 Pacific 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 Pacific.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.