Bellingham, Washington is a vibrant city that prides itself on providing excellent health care to its residents. The city offers access to many medical facilities and hospitals, both large and small. Local hospitals are well-equipped with the latest technology and highly trained staff so that patients can receive the best possible care. Additionally, many local clinics offer specialized services such as physical therapy, mental health counseling, and primary care. In addition to these options, there are plenty of wellness centers in Bellingham that provide support for nutrition, exercise, and overall health education. It's clear that Bellingham takes health seriously and provides its citizens with the resources they need to stay healthy.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 219 physicians per 100,000 population in Bellingham. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Bellingham area is 78.9 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
78.9 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Bellingham area is 60 (100=best). The US average is 55.
60 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Bellingham area is 79 (100=best). The US average is 87.
79 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Bellingham commutes 17.7 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Bellingham area is 52 (100=best). The US average is 58.
52 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.