Diabetes rates have been on the rise for the last two decades, and show no sign of abating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 11.3% of the U.S. population suffers from diabetes—though many of those affected do not know they have the chronic illness.
Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in 2020, but the disease does not impact all Americans equally. Instead, variables like poverty level, geographic region, and race all influence diabetes rates, meaning some Americans are disproportionately impacted by the disease.
The Southeastern portion of the U.S. has a particularly high concentration of counties with elevated diabetes rates, with parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, and nearly all of Louisiana, along with other states, facing some of the highest rates. Studies have shown that lack of access to healthy, affordable foods and health care services, exposure to environmental toxins, and other health hazards associated with poverty and systemic racism contribute to the increased likelihood of developing diabetes. These same conditions also mean that poor, non-white Americans are more likely to endure complications and have higher mortality rates from diabetes than wealthier white Americans with the disease.
The proportion of young people with diabetes is projected to increase over the next several decades, with racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities only growing larger if trends continue. Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified the counties in Oregon with the highest percentage of adults with diabetes. Ties were broken by the broader Quality of Life rank provided by the analysis, which includes other poor physical and mental health indicators. The age-adjusted diabetes rate was obtained through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
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M.O. Stevens // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 25#25. Yamhill County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #8
--- Quality of life rank: #10
--- Length of life rank: #7
- Estimated county population: 107,664
Manuela Durson // Shutterstock
2 / 25#24. Curry County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #19
--- Quality of life rank: #12
--- Length of life rank: #27
- Estimated county population: 23,305
Cacophony // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 25#23. Columbia County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #11
--- Quality of life rank: #13
--- Length of life rank: #11
- Estimated county population: 52,876
Jmabel // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 25#22. Linn County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #16
--- Quality of life rank: #14
--- Length of life rank: #19
- Estimated county population: 131,054
Ken Lund // Wikimedia Commons
5 / 25#21. Harney County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #23
--- Quality of life rank: #16
--- Length of life rank: #28
- Estimated county population: 7,373
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6 / 25#20. Jackson County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #15
--- Quality of life rank: #18
--- Length of life rank: #13
- Estimated county population: 221,844
Cacophony // Wikimedia Commons
7 / 25#19. Wasco County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #17
--- Quality of life rank: #19
--- Length of life rank: #14
- Estimated county population: 26,403
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
8 / 25#18. Sherman County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #18
--- Quality of life rank: #20
--- Length of life rank: #15
- Estimated county population: 1,801
Williamborg // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 25#17. Union County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #24
--- Quality of life rank: #21
--- Length of life rank: #26
- Estimated county population: 26,551
EncMstr // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 25#16. Lincoln County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #27
--- Quality of life rank: #22
--- Length of life rank: #29
- Estimated county population: 50,583
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Cacophony // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 25#15. Crook County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #20
--- Quality of life rank: #24
--- Length of life rank: #20
- Estimated county population: 25,105
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 25#14. Baker County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #31
--- Quality of life rank: #26
--- Length of life rank: #33
- Estimated county population: 16,284
English: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 25#13. Douglas County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #30
--- Quality of life rank: #27
--- Length of life rank: #30
- Estimated county population: 111,364
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 25#12. Grant County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #26
--- Quality of life rank: #30
--- Length of life rank: #21
- Estimated county population: 7,180
Tedder // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 25#11. Gilliam County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 9% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #29
--- Quality of life rank: #34
--- Length of life rank: #15
- Estimated county population: 1,975
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16 / 25#10. Marion County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #10
--- Quality of life rank: #17
--- Length of life rank: #8
- Estimated county population: 349,204
Debbie Tegtmeier // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 25#9. Coos County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #21
--- Quality of life rank: #25
--- Length of life rank: #23
- Estimated county population: 64,711
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 25#8. Jefferson County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #34
--- Quality of life rank: #28
--- Length of life rank: #35
- Estimated county population: 24,856
Joseph Novak // Wikicommons
19 / 25#7. Josephine County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #32
--- Quality of life rank: #29
--- Length of life rank: #31
- Estimated county population: 88,053
Bobjgalindo // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 25#6. Klamath County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #32
--- Length of life rank: #34
- Estimated county population: 68,739
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Ken Lund // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 25#4. Lake County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #35
--- Quality of life rank: #35
--- Length of life rank: #32
- Estimated county population: 7,949
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22 / 25#4. Wheeler County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #NR
--- Quality of life rank: #NR
--- Length of life rank: #NR
- Estimated county population: 1,387
Gancayco // Wikimedia Commons
23 / 25#3. Umatilla County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #22
--- Quality of life rank: #23
--- Length of life rank: #25
- Estimated county population: 77,752
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
24 / 25#2. Morrow County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #25
--- Quality of life rank: #31
--- Length of life rank: #18
- Estimated county population: 11,700
Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 25#1. Malheur County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #28
--- Quality of life rank: #33
--- Length of life rank: #22
- Estimated county population: 30,983
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