On CDC estimates, SeaTac is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
SeaTac differs from Washington on 17 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for SeaTac. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in SeaTac
Making ends meet is harder in SeaTac
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (17.6%), vs 10.2% across Washington. Housing insecurity (16.6% vs 9.9%) and no reliable transportation (11% vs 7.2%) are higher too. 18.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Washington sets a high bar
SeaTac is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, but only 51% of the 285 Washington towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Dental care lags in SeaTac
60.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67% across Washington. Among those 65 and older, 12.3% have lost all their teeth (Washington 9%). Checkups ↓
1 in 8 working-age adults in SeaTac has no health insurance
11.9% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.4% across Washington. 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 SeaTac’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind SeaTac’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, SeaTac is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #139 of 285 in Washington. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 89% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 44%).
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). SeaTac’s median household income is $81,104; among the 10,713 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$101K), it’s healthier than 85%, about where its income would put it.
Most Washington towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state SeaTac is healthier than 51% of graded towns, against 76% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
18.1% of SeaTac adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Keeping up with care
Share of SeaTac adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Out of every 100 SeaTac adults…
SeaTac runs below WA on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of SeaTac residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Washington. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near SeaTac
1 community health center in SeaTac, 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 SeaTac; ≈ 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.
25 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
How SeaTac adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, SeaTac 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.
SeaTac and the towns around it
SeaTac’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SeaTac | A− | 28.1% | 10% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Tukwila | A− | 25.7% | 9.3% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Kent | A− | 25.7% | 9.3% | 10.3% | CDC place |
| Burien | A− | 26.4% | 9.4% | 10.1% | CDC place |
| Des Moines | A− | 26.6% | 9.5% | 10.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of SeaTac adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for SeaTac
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, SeaTac is better than Washington on 4 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside SeaTac’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | SeaTac | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.1%17.7–20.5 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%11.6–13.6 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%16.2–18.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.1%25.7–30.6 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10%9.1–10.8 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.3%29.6–33 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.5%32.8–36.4 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.7%19.5–22 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.9–11.6 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5.2–6 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.5–5.3 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.3 | 2.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.3%10.5–14.2 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%10–12.3 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.2%18.5–22.1 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%14.3–17 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.9%32.6–37.2 | 31.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.9%10.7–13.2 | 8.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.4%67.3–71.4 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.6%58.5–62.6 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.7%81.4–84.1 | 84% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.5%65.5–69.5 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.9%58.5–63.2 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.7%71.2–77.9 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.3%21.7–25 | 25.1% | 20.6% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 35.7%33.6–37.7 | 28% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.6%16.3–19 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.6%15.3–17.9 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.6%6.9–8.5 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11%10.2–11.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.1%16.7–19.5 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.3%25.5–29.1 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.6%9.6–11.5 | 10.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.9%13.8–16.1 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.7–5.6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.9–5.7 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.9–8.2 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 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 SeaTac
Is SeaTac a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, SeaTac is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #139 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 85%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in SeaTac?
CDC estimates 28.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.7% and 30.6%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to SeaTac?
Highline Medical Center in Burien, 2.2 miles in a straight line from SeaTac’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in SeaTac have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.7–13.2%), 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 SeaTac 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 SeaTac.
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.