Fireboat No.1 · Photo: Mike Lane · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Washington, Tacoma is healthier than 25% of graded towns
Tacoma differs from Washington on 15 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Tacoma. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Tacoma
Washington sets a high bar
Tacoma is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, but only 25% of the 285 Washington towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Tacoma
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (14.1%), vs 10.2% across Washington. Utility shut-off threats (7.1% vs 5.1%) and housing insecurity (13.2% vs 9.9%) are higher too. 15.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Obesity runs high in Tacoma
37.3% of adults have obesity, vs 30.6% across Washington. Conditions ↓
Tacoma sleeps less
38.1% of adults sleep under 7 hours a night, vs 31.8% across Washington. Habits ↓
Tacoma has three hospitals within its borders
3 hospitals and 2 community health centers are inside Tacoma. 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 Tacoma’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.
What’s behind Tacoma’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tacoma is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns, #213 of 285 in Washington. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 84% 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). Tacoma’s median household income is $85,884; among the 10,322 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$107K), it’s healthier than 57%, about where its income would put it.
At 229,816 residents, Tacoma is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
15.6% of Tacoma adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Out of every 100 Tacoma adults…
Tacoma runs below WA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Tacoma
3 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Tacoma, 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 Tacoma; ≈ 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.
84 miles of trails across 76 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Tacoma adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
How Tacoma adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Tacoma 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.
Tacoma and the towns around it
Tacoma’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma | B | 37.3% | 10.9% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| University Place | A− | 35.2% | 10.8% | 9.9% | CDC place |
| Midland | C+ | 38.7% | 12.3% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Fife | B+ | 37.4% | 9.8% | 12% | CDC place |
| Browns Point | — | — | — | — | |
| Dash Point | — | — | — | — | |
| Fife Heights | C | 40.2% | 13.4% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| Lakewood | C+ | 39% | 12.7% | 13.3% | CDC place |
Browns Point and Dash Point: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Tacoma adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Tacoma
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Tacoma is better than Washington on 1 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Tacoma’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Tacoma | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.2%16.7–19.7 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.7–15 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%17.1–20.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.3%34.2–40.2 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.9–11.9 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32.2%30.2–34.1 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.9%32.8–36.9 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.1%23.5–26.7 | 24.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.1%10.1–12.1 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.4–7.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 5.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.3%4.8–5.8 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.8–3.2 | 2.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.9%10.2–13.7 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%10.7–13.2 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 19.8%17.9–21.7 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.8%15–18.5 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.1%35.3–40.9 | 31.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.3%8.3–10.3 | 8.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.2%67.8–72.4 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.8%60.6–65.1 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82%80.4–83.4 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.7%67.3–71.8 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.1%61.3–66.7 | 66.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.5%68.2–76.4 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.6%24.5–28.7 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.2%28–32.5 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.1%12.9–15.3 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.2%12.1–14.4 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.4%8.7–10.2 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.6%14.3–16.9 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.7%29.5–33.8 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.2%11.2–13.3 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.4%15.1–17.7 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.9–7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.4–5.2 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7.4–8.8 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.3–3.8 | 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 Tacoma
Is Tacoma a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tacoma is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #213 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 57%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Tacoma?
CDC estimates 37.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.2% and 40.2%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Tacoma?
Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital in Tacoma, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Tacoma’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Tacoma have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.3–10.3%), 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 Tacoma 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 Tacoma.
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.