Photo: SearchNet Media from Tucson, Arizona, USA · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Flagstaff is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
Flagstaff differs from Arizona on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Flagstaff. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Flagstaff
Mental distress runs high in Flagstaff
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.2%), vs 15.4% across Arizona. Depression is above the state too: 24.4%, vs 19.5% across Arizona. Mind & connection ↓
Heart disease and diabetes are less common in Flagstaff
Flagstaff runs below Arizona on nine chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (3.7% vs 6.4%), diabetes (6.6% vs 11.3%) and cancer (5.3% vs 8.8%). A young population is part of it: only 9% of residents are 65 or older (Arizona 19%). Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Flagstaff
1 in 8 adults lack reliable transportation (12%), vs 8.7% across Arizona. Utility shut-off threats (9.3% vs 7.2%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Flagstaff has a top-rated hospital
Flagstaff Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Arizona figure falls outside Flagstaff’s likely range.
What’s behind Flagstaff’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Flagstaff is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns, #31 of 140 in Arizona. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 8%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Flagstaff’s median household income is $71,512; among the 10,630 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$89K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
How Flagstaff adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Flagstaff runs above Arizona.
1 in 3 Flagstaff adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Out of every 100 Flagstaff adults…
Flagstaff runs below AZ on 10 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 9% of Flagstaff residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Arizona. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.3% of Flagstaff adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Care in and near Flagstaff
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Flagstaff, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Flagstaff; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
329 miles of trails across 25 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Flagstaff adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Flagstaff and the towns around it
Flagstaff’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff | A− | 22.4% | 6.6% | 9.7% | CDC place |
| Fort Valley | A+ | 21.6% | 8.8% | 8.4% | CDC place |
| Doney Park | A | 22.2% | 8.9% | 9.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Flagstaff adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Flagstaff
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Flagstaff is better than Arizona on 15 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Flagstaff’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Flagstaff | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.9%15.2–18.9 | 19.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%10.1–12.6 | 13% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.2%18.3–22.3 | 15.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22.4%19–26.3 | 31.3% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 6.6%5.8–7.4 | 11.3% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 21.6%19.6–24 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 27.5%25.1–30 | 37.3% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 16.6%15–18.3 | 25.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.4–13 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.3%4.9–5.8 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.4–5.4 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.2%2–2.3 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.9%8.1–11.8 | 14.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.7%8.5–11.2 | 11.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15%13–17.4 | 21.9% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.6%15.1–20.3 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.9%27.9–35.9 | 35.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.7%9.4–12.2 | 13.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 66.1%62.6–69.6 | 73.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.8%55.7–61.8 | 59.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 76%73.7–78.3 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 60.7%57.9–63.4 | 73.9% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.5%53.4–61.3 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.4%60.9–73.2 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.4%21.6–27.4 | 19.5% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 34.7%31.2–38.3 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.2%22.4–28.2 | 25.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.1%16–20.4 | 15.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.1%11.5–14.9 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12%10.8–13.4 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.3%12.5–16.2 | 11.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.6%25.8–31.7 | 31.5% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.3%7.3–9.3 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.9%16.3–19.9 | 14.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.6%5–6.2 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%5–5.9 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%8.1–10 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.7–3.2 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Arizona figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Flagstaff
Is Flagstaff a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Flagstaff is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #31 of 140 in Arizona. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Flagstaff?
CDC estimates 22.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 19% and 26.3%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Flagstaff?
Flagstaff Medical Center in Flagstaff, 2.1 miles in a straight line from Flagstaff’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Flagstaff have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.4–12.2%), against 13.2% across Arizona.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Flagstaff more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Flagstaff.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Arizona figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.