Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Port Townsend is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Port Townsend differs from Washington on 24 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Port Townsend. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Port Townsend
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Port Townsend
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (14%), vs 7.9% across Washington. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.8%), vs 5.4% across Washington. Arthritis is also above the state: 37.9%, vs 24.4% across Washington. In all, Port Townsend runs above Washington on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 44% of residents are 65 or older (Washington 17%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Port Townsend is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Port Townsend is healthier than 78%. Against the 9,529 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 96%. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Port Townsend, and more people treating it
40.4% of adults have high blood pressure (Washington 30.5%), but 79.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 70.7% statewide. Checkups ↓
Port Townsend keeps up with checkups
It beats Washington on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (79% vs 70.7%) and dentist visits (72.1% vs 67%). Checkups ↓
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 Port Townsend’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Port Townsend’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Port Townsend is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #120 of 285 in Washington. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 95% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 39%).
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). Port Townsend’s median household income is $62,606; among the 9,529 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 96%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Washington towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Port Townsend is healthier than 58% of graded towns, against 78% nationally.
Out of every 100 Port Townsend adults…
Port Townsend runs below WA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Port Townsend is an older town: 44% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Washington. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Port Townsend as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Port Townsend adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Care in and near Port Townsend
1 hospital in Port Townsend, 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 Port Townsend; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
35 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves
How Port Townsend adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Port Townsend does better than 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.9% of Port Townsend adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Port Townsend and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Townsend | A− | 28.8% | 12.8% | 9.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Port Townsend adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Port Townsend
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Port Townsend is better than Washington on 15 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Port Townsend’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Port Townsend | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.1%14.7–19.6 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.6–16.2 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.8–15.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.8%23.7–34 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11–14.6 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.4%36.5–44.1 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43%39–46.9 | 34.9% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.9%34.4–41.2 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.6–12 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 14%12.8–15.3 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.8%7.8–9.8 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.1%6–8.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.9–4.8 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.2%5.8–8.9 | 9% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.1%7.4–10.9 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.7%13.8–19.9 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.3%11.1–15.8 | 16.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.1%21.7–31 | 31.8% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.3%4.4–6.4 | 8.4% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%75.8–82 | 70.7% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.1%69–74.9 | 67% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.3%89.1–91.5 | 84% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.2%75.9–82 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.7%71.6–79.5 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.9%66.9–80.2 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.2%21.1–27.5 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.7%19–24.5 | 28% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.6%5.8–7.4 | 10.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6%5.3–6.9 | 9.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.6%3.1–4.1 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.9%7–8.8 | 11% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.2%28.3–36 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.4%13.2–17.7 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.4%10–13 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.8%8.7–10.9 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6.2–8.1 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.2–4.2 | 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 Port Townsend
Is Port Townsend a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Port Townsend is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #120 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Port Townsend?
CDC estimates 28.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.7% and 34%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Port Townsend?
Jefferson Healthcare in Port Townsend, 1.1 miles in a straight line from Port Townsend’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Port Townsend have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–6.4%), 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 Port Townsend 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 Port Townsend.
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.