Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Washington is healthier than 65%
Washington differs from West Virginia on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Washington. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Washington
Washington is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Washington is healthier than 42%. Against the 9,023 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 65%. Health Grade ↓
Washington keeps up with checkups
It beats West Virginia on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (84.2% vs 81%) and dentist visits (63% vs 55.5%). Checkups ↓
Cancer runs high in Washington
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.9%), vs 9.6% across West Virginia. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (West Virginia 21%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Few Washington adults smoke
12.9% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 19.3% across West Virginia. Habits ↓
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 West Virginia figure falls outside Washington’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Washington’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Washington is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 68% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Washington’s median household income is $60,365; among the 9,023 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 65%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Washington compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 5.1% (U.S. 11%); checkup in the past year, 84.2% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 91.3% (U.S. 87.1%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Washington adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks West Virginia.
Out of every 100 Washington adults…
Washington runs below WV on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Washington is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across West Virginia. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Washington as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with West Virginia
Share of adults, with the West Virginia figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Care in and near Washington
No hospital or community health center in Washington itself. These are the nearest.
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 Washington; ≈ 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 Washington adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Washington does better than West Virginia.
3 in 10 Washington adults feel lonely. 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.5% of Washington adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 17.8% across West Virginia.
Washington and the towns around it
Washington’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | C+ | 39.3% | 14.7% | 12.9% | CDC place |
| Blennerhassett | D | 41.8% | 15.6% | 16.2% | CDC place |
| Lubeck | C+ | 39.4% | 13.7% | 13.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Washington adults live with a disability (West Virginia 39.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Washington
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Washington is better than West Virginia on 17 and worse on 1; on the rest, the West Virginia figure falls inside Washington’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Washington | WV | U.S. | vs WV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19%15.8–22.5 | 25.4% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%12.4–16.9 | 17.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%14.9–19.8 | 21.1% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.3%33.5–45.3 | 40.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.7%12.6–17.1 | 15.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 44.1%39.9–48.2 | 44% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.1%40.1–48.1 | 42.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 39.2%35.6–43 | 37.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.8 | 12.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.9%10.7–13.2 | 9.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.1–9.5 | 8.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.1%6.6–9.9 | 10.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.1–4.2 | 4.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.3%10.1–14.8 | 19.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.9%10.1–15.8 | 19.3% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 25.9%21.4–30.6 | 32.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12–17.3 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39%33.8–44 | 40.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.1%3.7–6.8 | 8.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.2%81.3–86.8 | 81% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63%59.4–66.2 | 55.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.3%89.6–92.7 | 86.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82%79.3–84.4 | 79.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.5%72.7–79.8 | 66.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.4%75.6–86.2 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.4%25.7–33.4 | 30.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.9%25.6–34.5 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.9%15.7–22.3 | 23% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.7%6.5–11.2 | 16.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.6%5.8–9.3 | 12.4% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.2–7.8 | 11% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.5%4.4–6.5 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.5%6.2–11 | 17.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.7%28.2–37.6 | 39.2% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.2%12.6–18.1 | 18.7% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.8%11.5–16.2 | 18.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.2–9.5 | 9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 5.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.4–9.1 | 10.9% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.7–3.8 | 4.6% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 West Virginia figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Washington
Is Washington a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Washington is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Washington?
CDC estimates 39.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.5% and 45.3%, against 40.6% across West Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Washington?
Camden Clark Medical Center in Parkersburg, 4.5 miles in a straight line from Washington’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Washington have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.7–6.8%), against 8.5% across West Virginia.
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 Washington more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Washington.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The West Virginia 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.