The health of Tacoma, WA (zip code 98409) is a priority for both city officials and the local community. The city has several hospitals and medical facilities to serve its citizens' health needs, including MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital, MultiCare Mary Bridge Children's Hospital & Health Center, St. Joseph Medical Center, and Tacoma Orthopaedic Associates. The city is also home to numerous independent clinics and medical centers. Primary care services are available through clinics such as CHI Franciscan Medical Group, Group Health Cooperative-Tacoma Clinic, and Optum Pierce County Clinics. There are also specialty practice services from Northwest Ear Nose & Throat Surgeons, MultiCare Behavioral Care Center at Tacoma General Hospital, and the Cancer Care Center at St. Joseph Medical Center. In addition to these healthcare options, many people in Tacoma have access to preventative care resources such as nutrition counseling and fitness classes offered through the Pierce County Department of Health & Human Services. Overall, the health of the 98409 zip code area is well taken care of with multiple healthcare resources available to its residents.
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 199 physicians per 100,000 population in Tacoma (zip 98409). The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Tacoma (zip 98409) area is 80.0 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
80.0 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Tacoma (zip 98409) 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 Tacoma (zip 98409) area is 87 (100=best). The US average is 87.
87 / 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 Tacoma (zip 98409) commutes 26.9 minutes one-way, which is longer than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Tacoma (zip 98409) area is 38 (100=best). The US average is 58.
38 / 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.