Photo: Rising*From*Ashes · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Washington, Yelm is healthier than 42% of graded towns
Yelm differs from Washington on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Yelm. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Yelm
Mental distress runs high in Yelm
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.8%), vs 16.4% across Washington. Depression is above the state too: 30.6%, vs 25.1% across Washington. Mind & connection ↓
Washington sets a high bar
Yelm is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns, but only 42% of the 285 Washington towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Yelm is behind on routine checkups
It trails Washington on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (63.3% vs 70.7%), dentist visits (63% vs 67%), cholesterol checks (78.2% vs 84%) and colon screening (60.7% vs 66.2%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Yelm
1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food (13.1%), vs 10.2% across Washington. Utility shut-off threats (7.2% vs 5.1%) and housing insecurity (13.8% vs 9.9%) are higher too. 15.4% 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 Yelm’s likely range.
What’s behind Yelm’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Yelm is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns, #165 of 285 in Washington. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 97% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Yelm’s median household income is $90,750; among the 9,866 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($68K–$113K), it’s healthier than 70%, about where its income would put it.
How Yelm adults are doing
On 3 of 3 measures, Yelm 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Yelm 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.
15.4% of Yelm adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11% across Washington.
Out of every 100 Yelm adults…
Yelm runs below WA on 6 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 7% of Yelm residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Washington. Heart disease, stroke and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Yelm
1 community health center in Yelm, 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 Yelm; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Washington
Share of adults, with the Washington figure marked.
20 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Yelm and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yelm | B+ | 32.4% | 7.9% | 12.1% | CDC place |
| North Yelm | B | 33.5% | 10.7% | 13.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Yelm adults live with a disability (Washington 27.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Yelm
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Yelm is better than Washington on 6 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Washington figure falls inside Yelm’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Yelm | WA | U.S. | vs WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17%15.1–19 | 16.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.9–14.7 | 12.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.8%18.8–22.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.4%28.9–36.1 | 30.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.9%7–8.9 | 9.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28%25.7–30.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.3%28–32.9 | 34.9% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 22.5%20.7–24.4 | 24.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.1%10.9–13.4 | 10.7% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6%5.5–6.6 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 5.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.2–2.7 | 2.9% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.9%9.7–14.2 | 9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.1%10.4–13.9 | 10.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 17.6%15.3–19.9 | 17.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.2%15–19.5 | 16.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.7%34.1–41.3 | 31.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9%7.7–10.5 | 8.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 63.3%60.2–66.4 | 70.7% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63%60.1–65.8 | 67% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.2%76–80.4 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 62.2%59.3–64.8 | 70.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.7%57.1–64.1 | 66.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.9%66.4–76.9 | 74.2% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 30.6%27.9–33.5 | 25.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32.3%29.4–35.5 | 28% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.1%11.8–14.6 | 10.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.8%12.3–15.4 | 9.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.2%6.3–8.2 | 5.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.6%8.8–10.6 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.4%14–17.1 | 11% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.5%26.7–32.4 | 27.1% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.7%8.6–11 | 10.9% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.2%15.4–19.1 | 13.5% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.8–6 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.7–4.4 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%7.3–9.1 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Yelm
Is Yelm a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Yelm is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #165 of 285 in Washington. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 70%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Yelm?
CDC estimates 32.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.9% and 36.1%, against 30.6% across Washington and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Yelm?
Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, 12.2 miles in a straight line from Yelm’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Yelm have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.7–10.5%), 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 Yelm 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 Yelm.
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.