Kitsap ranks among healthiest counties in Washington

KITSAP COUNTY, WA – Kitsap County continues to rank among the healthiest counties in Washington state, according to a nationwide report.

The updated County Health Rankings & Roadmaps released in March by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute evaluate every county in the United States based on “Population Health and Well-Being,” and “Community Conditions.”

• Kitsap fares slightly better than the average county in Washington for Population Health and Well-being, and better than the average county in the nation. “Well-being” captures both quality of life and the ability of people and communities to contribute to the world. “Population Health” involves optimal physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being.

  
  

• Kitsap is rated as the top county in Washington for Community Conditions and fares better than the average county in the nation. “Community Conditions” include the social and economic factors, physical environment and health infrastructure in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship and age. These conditions are also referred to as the social determinants of health.

Changes to the Health Ranking

In 2025, the  Health Rankings model includes six new measures: disability (functional limitations), feelings of loneliness, lack of social and emotional support, access to libraries, access to parks, and adverse climate events. Categories have also been updated: “Health Outcomes” is now referred to as “Population Health and Well-being,” and “Health Factors” has been replaced by “Community Conditions.”

Previously, the University of Wisconsin produced nationwide county rankings each year for all 50 states . They have since moved away from a standard “ranking” system and now display counties on a continuum. Counties can compare their position on the continuum to both the state and national averages.

While useful as a call to action and educational tool, the County Health Rankings have limitations. For example, the 2025 report is largely based on data from 2022 or earlier and timeframes vary by metric. This means rankings do not reflect current conditions.

Unfortunately, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funding for County Health Rankings & Roadmaps will end in 2026, making 2025 the final update unless additional funding is secured.

Kitsap assessments provide a closer look at local health trends

In addition to reviewing national reports like the County Health Rankings, Kitsap Public Health District and other local organizations regularly conduct community assessments to gain a deeper understanding of factors and outcomes affecting the health of Kitsap residents.

You can explore our most recent Community Health Assessment and assessments from partner agencies on our data reports page. We also maintain a library of interactive dashboards displaying data on hundreds of local health metrics.

Findings from these local health assessments are used to inform a Kitsap Community Health Priorities process, which convenes community partners to assess countywide health priorities and develop strategies to address them.

More resources:

• View the full County Health Rankings report for Washington here.

• View the full County Health Rankings report for Kitsap County here.

• View Kitsap Public Health District's County Health Rankings analysis here

• View Kitsap Public Health District’s library of health assessments and reports here.

• View Kitsap Public Health District's library of health indicator dashboards here.