Photo: Squarestate7 · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Washington, Walla Walla is healthier than 27% of graded towns
Walla Walla trails Washington on 14 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Walla Walla. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Walla Walla
Washington sets a high bar
Walla Walla is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns, but only 27% of the 285 Washington towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Walla Walla is short on every kind of care federal data tracks
Walla Walla’s county is a federal shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care, meaning too few providers for the people who live there. Getting care ↓
Dental care lags in Walla Walla
61.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67% across Washington. Among those 65 and older, 13.5% have lost all their teeth (Washington 9%). Walla Walla’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Walla Walla
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (12.7%), vs 10.2% across Washington. Utility shut-off threats (6.5% vs 5.1%) and no reliable transportation (9% vs 7.2%) are higher too. 14.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Walla Walla is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Walla Walla is healthier than 61%. Against the 10,167 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 81%. 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 Walla Walla’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Walla Walla’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Walla Walla is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns, #210 of 285 in Washington. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 82% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 41%).
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). Walla Walla’s median household income is $66,748; among the 10,167 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 81%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Care in and near Walla Walla
1 community health center in Walla Walla, 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 Walla Walla; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Walla Walla 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.
14.4% of Walla Walla adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Out of every 100 Walla Walla adults…
Walla Walla runs above WA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
6.6 miles of trails across 14 parks and preserves
How Walla Walla adults are doing
About the same as Washington on each measure.
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.
Walla Walla and the towns around it
Walla Walla’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walla Walla | B | 35% | 10.7% | 12.1% | CDC place |
| Walla Walla East | A | 31.8% | 9.9% | 8.9% | CDC place |
| Garrett | B | 35.7% | 12.1% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| College Place | B+ | 32.4% | 9.5% | 10% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Walla Walla adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Walla Walla
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Walla Walla is better than Washington on 0 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Walla Walla’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Walla Walla | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.4%18.2–22.8 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.7%13.2–16.4 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%15.7–19.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35%29.9–40.6 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.7%9.4–12.2 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.7%28.6–35.1 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.6%31.3–38.1 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.7%23.2–28.4 | 24.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.2%10–12.5 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.4%7.6–9.2 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.9–7.2 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.2%5.6–7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.8 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.5%11.1–16 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.1%10.5–13.9 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 20.4%17.6–23.7 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.6–19.2 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.9%25.5–34.3 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.8%10.3–13.6 | 8.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.6%65.8–73.2 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.1%57.9–64.1 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.2%78.1–82.2 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.3%68.3–74.1 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65%60.6–68.9 | 66.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.8%68.1–80.4 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.1%22–28.4 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.6%25.4–31.9 | 28% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.7%11.3–14 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.8%10.4–13.1 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9%8.2–9.8 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.4%13–15.9 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.3%28.9–35.9 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.1%11.7–14.8 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.1%14.5–17.8 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.9–5.9 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.7–9.5 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.6–4.3 | 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 Walla Walla
Is Walla Walla a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Walla Walla is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #210 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 81%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Walla Walla?
CDC estimates 35% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.9% and 40.6%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Walla Walla?
Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla, 2.6 miles in a straight line from Walla Walla’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Walla Walla have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.3–13.6%), 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 Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla.
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.