Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0Within Washington, Yakima is healthier than 6% of graded towns
Yakima trails Washington on 19 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Yakima. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Yakima
More Yakima adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (28.1%), vs 17.9% across Washington. Habits ↓
1 in 5 working-age adults in Yakima has no health insurance
19.7% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.4% across Washington. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Yakima
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (20.5%), about twice the Washington rate. Utility shut-off threats (9.4% vs 5.1%) and no reliable transportation (12.7% vs 7.2%) are higher too. 24.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 11% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Yakima’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Yakima’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Yakima is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns, #269 of 285 in Washington. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 66% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Yakima’s median household income is $62,815; among the 9,567 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 41%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
9.5 miles of trails across 30 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Yakima 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.
24.6% of Yakima adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Out of every 100 Yakima adults…
Yakima runs above WA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Yakima
1 hospital and 3 community health centers in Yakima, 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 Yakima; ≈ 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 Yakima adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Yakima 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.
Yakima and the towns around it
Yakima’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima | C | 39.7% | 12.9% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Ahtanum | B | 37% | 11.7% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Union Gap | C− | 40.2% | 12.7% | 13.7% | CDC place |
| Terrace Heights | B+ | 35.5% | 11% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Summitview | A− | 35.6% | 10.9% | 10% | CDC place |
| Selah | B | 37.1% | 9.7% | 12.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Yakima adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Yakima
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Yakima is better than Washington on 0 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Yakima’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Yakima | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.8%24.5–29.1 | 16.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%14.2–17.3 | 12.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16.3–19.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.7%35.4–44 | 30.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11.5–14.3 | 9.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.2%30.5–36 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35%32.1–37.9 | 34.9% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.1%22–26.3 | 24.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.8–12.1 | 10.7% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.4%6.7–8 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%6–7.2 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.7%6.1–7.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.5–4 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.9%13.4–18.6 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.1%11.6–14.7 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.1%25.3–31.2 | 17.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%13.3–17.8 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.4%26.9–34.1 | 31.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 19.7%17.7–21.8 | 8.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.9%65.9–71.9 | 70.7% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.1%53.1–59 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.2%77.3–81.1 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.9%69.2–74.4 | 70.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.7%54.8–62.5 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71%64.9–76.5 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.1%20.5–25.9 | 25.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.6%28.7–34.7 | 28% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.5%18.8–22.2 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.1%15.5–18.8 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.4%8.3–10.5 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.7%11.7–13.8 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.6%22.8–26.6 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.5%31.6–37.6 | 27.1% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.8%14.3–17.4 | 10.9% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.1%16.5–19.8 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.3–8.9 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.7%7.1–8.3 | 4.1% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.3%9.4–11.3 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.9–5.7 | 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 Yakima
Is Yakima a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Yakima is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #269 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 41%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Yakima?
CDC estimates 39.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.4% and 44%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Yakima?
Astria Toppenish Hospital in Toppenish, 18.8 miles in a straight line from Yakima’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Yakima have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 19.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 17.7–21.8%), 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 Yakima more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Yakima.
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.