Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, White Center is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
White Center differs from Washington on 17 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for White Center. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in White Center
Making ends meet is harder in White Center
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (17.3%), vs 10.2% across Washington. Housing insecurity (15.4% vs 9.9%) and no reliable transportation (10.8% vs 7.2%) are higher too. 18.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in White Center
60.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 67% across Washington. Among those 65 and older, 12.2% have lost all their teeth (Washington 9%). Checkups ↓
1 in 8 working-age adults in White Center 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 White Center’s likely range.
What’s behind White Center’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, White Center is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #126 of 285 in Washington. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 92% 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). White Center’s median household income is $87,189; among the 10,235 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($65K–$109K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Most Washington towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state White Center is healthier than 56% of graded towns, against 78% nationally.
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 White Center adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Keeping up with care
Share of White Center adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Washington.
Out of every 100 White Center adults…
White Center runs below WA on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of White Center 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 White Center
3 community health centers in White Center, 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 White Center; ≈ 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.
2 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How White Center adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, White Center 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.
White Center and the towns around it
White Center’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Center | A− | 26.7% | 9.7% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Seattle | A+ | 22.2% | 6.1% | 6.5% | CDC place |
| Burien | A− | 26.4% | 9.4% | 10.1% | CDC place |
| Boulevard Park | B− | 30.8% | 10.8% | 13.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of White Center adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for White Center
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, White Center is better than Washington on 4 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside White Center’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | White Center | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.7%17.3–20.2 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%11.5–13.5 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.4%16.2–18.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.7%24.4–29.2 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.9–10.6 | 9.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.5%27.9–31.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.6%32.8–36.4 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.1%18.9–21.4 | 24.4% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.7–11.4 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.4%5–5.8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.6%4.3–5 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.7–3.1 | 2.9% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.2%10.5–14 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.9%9.8–12.1 | 10.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.2%18.5–21.9 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%14.4–17.2 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.7%31.4–36 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.9%10.5–13.2 | 8.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.7%66.6–70.8 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.7%58.7–62.6 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.4%80.9–83.9 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.1%65–69.2 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59%56.6–61.4 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.2%68.6–75.6 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.3%22.6–26 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 33.9%31.9–35.8 | 28% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.3%16–18.6 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.4%14.2–16.6 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.1%6.4–7.9 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.8%10–11.6 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.5%17.1–19.9 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.7%25–28.6 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%9.3–11.1 | 10.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.9%13.7–16.1 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.1%4.6–5.5 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.9–5.7 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.8–8.2 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.4–4 | 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 White Center
Is White Center a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, White Center is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #126 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in White Center?
CDC estimates 26.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.4% and 29.2%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to White Center?
Highline Medical Center in Burien, 3.6 miles in a straight line from White Center’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in White Center have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.5–13.2%), 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 White Center 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 White Center.
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.