Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, South Wenatchee is healthier than 78%
South Wenatchee differs from Washington on 19 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for South Wenatchee. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in South Wenatchee
1 in 5 working-age adults in South Wenatchee has no health insurance
21.2% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.4% across Washington. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in South Wenatchee
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (19.6%), about twice the Washington rate. Housing insecurity (18% vs 9.9%) and no reliable transportation (12.1% vs 7.2%) are higher too. 18.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More South Wenatchee adults get no exercise
1 in 4 adults get no exercise outside work (24.9%), vs 17.9% across Washington. Habits ↓
South Wenatchee is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, South Wenatchee is healthier than 56%. Against the 9,719 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 78%. 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 South Wenatchee’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind South Wenatchee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, South Wenatchee is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 78% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 25%).
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). South Wenatchee’s median household income is $63,929; among the 9,719 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 78%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Keeping up with care
Share of South Wenatchee 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.
18.5% of South Wenatchee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Out of every 100 South Wenatchee adults…
South Wenatchee runs below WA on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of South Wenatchee residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Washington. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near South Wenatchee
No hospital or community health center in South Wenatchee 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 South Wenatchee; ≈ 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 South Wenatchee adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, South Wenatchee 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.
South Wenatchee and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Wenatchee | B | 31.6% | 10.3% | 12.1% | CDC place |
| Wenatchee | B+ | 29.6% | 10.3% | 11.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of South Wenatchee adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for South Wenatchee
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, South Wenatchee is better than Washington on 4 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside South Wenatchee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | South Wenatchee | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23%19.6–26.8 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.6–16.6 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%16.1–20.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.6%26.6–36.9 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.3%9–11.8 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 26.3%23.5–29.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.1%28–34.4 | 34.9% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 20%17.9–22.4 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.3–11.7 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.2%4.7–5.8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.8%4.2–5.4 | 5.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.9%4.2–5.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 2.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.5%12–17.4 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.1%10.1–14.4 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.9%21–29.4 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.1–20 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.9%25.5–34.4 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 21.2%17–26.1 | 8.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 65.4%61.1–69.3 | 70.7% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.1%56.8–63.3 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.3%75.1–81.3 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 65%61.4–68.5 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.8%54.3–63.1 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.3%60.6–74.8 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24%21–27.3 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 33.1%29.6–36.6 | 28% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.6%17.7–21.6 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18%16.1–20 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.2%7.2–9.3 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.1%11–13.2 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.5%16.6–20.4 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32%27.8–36.6 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.2%10.4–14.3 | 10.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.3%15.7–21.2 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.4%5.5–7.4 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.3–10 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.5–4.8 | 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 South Wenatchee
Is South Wenatchee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, South Wenatchee is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in South Wenatchee?
CDC estimates 31.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.6% and 36.9%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to South Wenatchee?
Confluence Health Hospital in Wenatchee, 3.4 miles in a straight line from South Wenatchee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in South Wenatchee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 21.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 17–26.1%), 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 South Wenatchee 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 South Wenatchee.
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.