Photo: Renjishino · CC BY 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Golden Valley is healthier than 59%
Golden Valley differs from Arizona on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Golden Valley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Golden Valley
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Golden Valley
1 in 6 adults have COPD (15.6%), more than twice the Arizona rate. 1 in 8 adults have heart disease (12.5%), about twice the Arizona rate. Stroke is also above the state: 6.6%, vs 3.4% across Arizona. In all, Golden Valley runs above Arizona on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (Arizona 19%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Golden Valley adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (35.1%), vs 21.9% across Arizona. There are 238 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Smoking is more common in Golden Valley
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (21.1%), about twice the Arizona rate. Habits ↓
Golden Valley is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Golden Valley is healthier than 16%. Against the 3,209 towns with similar household incomes ($32K–$53K), it’s healthier than 59%. Health Grade ↓
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 Golden Valley’s likely range.
What’s behind Golden Valley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Golden Valley is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns, #123 of 140 in Arizona. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 65% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Golden Valley’s median household income is $42,585; among the 3,209 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($32K–$53K), it’s healthier than 59%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Golden Valley compares well: binge drinking, 12.7% (U.S. 15.4%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Golden Valley adults…
Golden Valley runs above AZ on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Golden Valley is an older town: 38% of residents are 65 or older, vs 19% across Arizona. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Golden Valley as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
238 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Golden Valley
No hospital or community health center in Golden Valley itself. These are the nearest.
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 Golden Valley; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Golden Valley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
How Golden Valley adults are doing
About the same as Arizona on each measure.
3 in 10 Golden Valley 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.9% of Golden Valley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Golden Valley and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Valley | C− | 35.1% | 17.5% | 21.1% | CDC place |
| McConnico | — | — | — | — | |
| So-Hi | — | — | — | — |
McConnico and So-Hi: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Golden Valley adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Golden Valley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Golden Valley is better than Arizona on 2 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Golden Valley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Golden Valley | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.1%26–32.3 | 19.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.1%18.1–22.4 | 13% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.4–18 | 15.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.1%30.2–40.3 | 31.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.5%15.5–19.8 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 47.5%43.8–51 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 45.4%41.7–49.1 | 37.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.2%35–41.5 | 25.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.9%10.6–13.3 | 10.4% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.8%11.7–14 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 12.5%11.3–13.8 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 15.6%13.8–17.3 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.6%6–7.3 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 24.8%21.1–28.5 | 14.7% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.1%18.5–23.8 | 11.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35.1%31.1–39.4 | 21.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.7%10.6–15 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.4%35.6–45 | 35.2% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.9%11.9–16.1 | 13.2% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76%72.8–79.1 | 73.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49%45.4–52.3 | 59.9% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.4%84.7–87.9 | 85.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.7%77.8–83.3 | 73.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.5%52.7–61.9 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 61%53.6–67.9 | 72.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.2%17.6–23.1 | 19.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.5%26.6–34.5 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.3%25.7–33.1 | 25.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.9%17.2–22.9 | 15.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.5%10.8–14.4 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.6%7.5–9.8 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.8%8.6–11.2 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.9%14.5–19.6 | 11.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 44.3%40.6–48.3 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 26%23.2–28.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%15.5–19.3 | 14.2% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 13.7%12.3–15.1 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9%8.2–9.9 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.1%10.8–13.5 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.2%6.4–8 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Golden Valley
Is Golden Valley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Golden Valley is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #123 of 140 in Arizona. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Golden Valley?
CDC estimates 35.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.2% and 40.3%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Golden Valley?
Western Arizona Regional Medical Center in Bullhead City, 19.4 miles in a straight line from Golden Valley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Golden Valley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.9–16.1%), 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 Golden Valley more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Golden Valley.
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.