According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “without health insurance, people are less likely to have a regular health care provider and more likely to skip routine health care. This puts them at increased risk for serious health problems.” It is helpful to know which communities have lower access to health insurance to help address health disparities.
The majority of households in all places have health insurance. Therefore, the scale for the map starts at 70% and the vertical axes for the charts have been adjusted to start at 60%.
Go to: Health Insurance Map | Household Income Now | Household Income Trend
Health Insurance Map
Percent of persons with health insurance coverage
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table S2701; U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division 2020 TIGER/Line Shapefiles
Insights & Analysis
- Kitsap County has the highest average for health insurance coverage (94.9%), followed by King (94.7%), Pierce (94.0%), and Snohomish (93.8%).
- There are 7 census tracts with 100% health insurance coverage: 5 in King County, and 1 each in Kitsap, and Pierce counties.
- The five census tracts with the lowest health insurance coverage, Edmonds (77.5%), Lake Stickney near Everett (77.7%), Alderton, between Sumner and Orting (78.0%), Lynnwood (78.9%), South Tacoma (79.1%).
- The national average health insurance coverage in 2022 is 92%.
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Public Use Microdata Sample
Insights & Analysis
- Health care coverage for households with limited English proficiency in Pierce County is 17 percentage points less than households proficient in English, the largest such disparity in the region across all communities and geographies.
- The largest disparity in health care coverage between people of color and white non-Hispanic people is 6 percentage points in Snohomish County and in the region
- Coverage for households with lower income in King County, Snohomish County, and the region are each 8 percentage points less than other households.
- Coverage is 6 percentage points less for people of color in the region than for white non-Hispanic people.
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 2008-2012, 2013-2017, 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Public Use Microdata Sample
Insights & Analysis
- From 2012 to 2022, health insurance coverage increased for all groups.
- The gap between people of color and white non-Hispanic people in the region declined by 50% between 2012 and 2022.
- Health coverage for households with lower income in the region increased by 29% between 2012 and 2022. The disparity between households with lower income versus other households in the region dropped by 67%.
- The largest disparity in health care coverage is between households with limited English proficiency and households proficient in English. Kitsap County experienced increased health coverage for households with limited English proficiency by 29 percentage points between 2012 and 2017, however between 2017 and 2022, it dropped 8 percentage points.
- Households with older adults 65+ and people with disabilities have higher health insurance coverage due to programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
- From 2012 to 2022, households with older adults 65+ in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties experienced a three percentage point increase in health insurance coverage, while those in Kitsap County experienced a two percentage point increase.