Photo: Marine 69-71 · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Sun City is healthier than 86%
Sun City differs from Arizona on 29 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 18 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sun City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sun City
Cancer, heart disease and stroke run high in Sun City
1 in 5 adults have had cancer (21.5%), more than twice the Arizona rate. 1 in 7 adults have heart disease (14.5%), more than twice the Arizona rate. Stroke is also above the state: 7.1%, vs 3.4% across Arizona. In all, Sun City runs above Arizona on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 75% of residents are 65 or older (Arizona 19%), and cancer, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Sun City is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sun City is healthier than 53%. Against the 7,291 towns with similar household incomes ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 86%. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Sun City, and more people treating it
54.7% of adults have high blood pressure (Arizona 32.8%), but 88.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 73.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Sun City keeps up with checkups
It beats Arizona on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (87.9% vs 73.9%) and dentist visits (65.9% vs 59.9%). Checkups ↓
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 Sun City’s likely range.
What’s behind Sun City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sun City is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, #81 of 140 in Arizona. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than almost every U.S. town); diabetes pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Sun City’s median household income is $54,586; among the 7,291 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 86%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Sun City adults…
Sun City runs below AZ on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Sun City is an older town: 75% 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 Sun City as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sun City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Care in and near Sun City
1 hospital in Sun City, 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 Sun City; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Arizona
Share of adults, with the Arizona figure marked.
4.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Sun City adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, Sun City does better than Arizona.
1 in 4 Sun City 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.
7.4% of Sun City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Sun City and the towns around it
Sun City’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sun City adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sun City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sun City is better than Arizona on 18 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Sun City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sun City | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.2%21.1–25.3 | 19.5% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%15–18 | 13% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.8%8.9–10.8 | 15.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.1%24.8–31.5 | 31.3% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 18.8%17–20.6 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 54.7%51.8–57.5 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 54%51–56.9 | 37.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 48.9%46.2–51.7 | 25.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.9%9–10.9 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 21.5%20–22.9 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 14.5%13.2–15.8 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.7%11.4–14 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 7.1%6.5–7.7 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.5%10.6–14.6 | 14.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.6%8.5–10.8 | 11.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 26.5%23.7–29.3 | 21.9% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.9%25–31.1 | 35.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.3%6.3–8.3 | 13.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 87.9%86.4–89.2 | 73.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.9%63.3–68.5 | 59.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 95.6%95–96.1 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 88.5%86.6–90.1 | 73.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 75.3%72.3–78.2 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.8%72.4–81 | 72.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.6%14–17.3 | 19.5% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 26.3%24–29 | 32% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20%18.1–22.2 | 25.7% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.2%8.1–10.6 | 15.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 4.7%4.2–5.4 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.1%2.8–3.6 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.9%4.4–5.6 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.4%6.4–8.7 | 11.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43%40–45.9 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 25.8%23.5–28 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.7%9.6–11.8 | 14.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 17.4%16–19 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.3–7.6 | 5.5% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%8.4–10.4 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.8–5.8 | 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 Sun City
Is Sun City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sun City is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #81 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 Sun City?
CDC estimates 28.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.8% and 31.5%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sun City?
Banner Boswell Medical Center in Sun City, 1.1 miles in a straight line from Sun City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sun City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.3–8.3%), 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 Sun City more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Sun City.
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.