Fewer adults with frequent mental distress in Sun Lakes than in almost every U.S. town
Sun Lakes differs from Arizona on 28 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 20 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sun Lakes. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sun Lakes
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Sun Lakes
1 in 4 adults have had cancer (22.7%), more than twice the Arizona rate. 1 in 7 adults have heart disease (13.5%), about twice the Arizona rate. Arthritis is also above the state: 47.6%, vs 25.2% across Arizona. In all, Sun Lakes runs above Arizona on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 79% of residents are 65 or older (Arizona 19%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Sun Lakes, and more people treating it
53% of adults have high blood pressure (Arizona 32.8%), but 88.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 73.9% statewide. Checkups ↓
Sun Lakes is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sun Lakes is healthier than 70%. Against the 10,311 towns with similar household incomes ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 89%. Health Grade ↓
Sun Lakes keeps up with checkups
It beats Arizona on five of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (88.8% vs 73.9%) and dentist visits (69.8% 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 Lakes’ likely range.
What’s behind Sun Lakes’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sun Lakes is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, #52 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 7%).
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 Lakes’ median household income is $67,853; among the 10,311 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 89%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Sun Lakes adults…
Sun Lakes runs below AZ on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Sun Lakes is an older town: 79% 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 Lakes as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sun Lakes adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Arizona.
Care in and near Sun Lakes
No hospital or community health center in Sun Lakes 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 Sun Lakes; ≈ 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.
6.8 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Sun Lakes adults are doing
On 4 of 4 measures, Sun Lakes does better than Arizona.
1 in 4 Sun Lakes 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.
4.7% of Sun Lakes adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.
Sun Lakes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Lakes | B+ | 25.7% | 16.8% | 7.3% | CDC place |
| Chandler | A | 28.2% | 9.1% | 9.4% | CDC place |
| Goodyear Village | — | — | — | — |
Goodyear Village: 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 Sun Lakes adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sun Lakes
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sun Lakes is better than Arizona on 20 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Arizona figure falls inside Sun Lakes’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sun Lakes | AZ | U.S. | vs AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.3%16.8–22.1 | 19.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.8–16.4 | 13% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.6%7.6–9.7 | 15.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.7%22.5–29 | 31.3% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 16.8%14.9–18.8 | 11.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 53%49.8–56.1 | 32.8% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 53.9%50.8–56.8 | 37.3% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 47.6%44.5–50.6 | 25.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.4–10.4 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 22.7%21–24.4 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 13.5%12–15 | 6.4% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.5%9–12.3 | 6.6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.9–13.5 | 14.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.3%6.1–8.7 | 11.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22.4%19.3–25.9 | 21.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 6.3%5.5–7.1 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.2%23.4–29.3 | 35.2% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.2%4.3–6.4 | 13.2% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 88.8%87.4–90 | 73.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.8%67.4–72.2 | 59.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 96.5%95.9–96.9 | 85.1% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 88.6%86.7–90.1 | 73.9% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 77.6%74.9–80.3 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.8%75.6–83.5 | 72.7% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 14.7%13–16.4 | 19.5% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 24.8%22.4–27.6 | 32% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.2%16.1–20.6 | 25.7% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.4%5.2–7.7 | 15.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 3.4%2.9–4 | 12% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 2.2%1.9–2.6 | 7.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.7%3.2–4.3 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.7%3.8–5.9 | 11.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.1%35.4–42.9 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.2%19.4–25.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.9%7.7–10.2 | 14.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 16.5%14.8–18.3 | 8.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%4.8–6.4 | 5.5% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.5–9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.7–4.9 | 3.7% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Lakes
Is Sun Lakes a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sun Lakes is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #52 of 140 in Arizona. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 89%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sun Lakes?
CDC estimates 25.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.5% and 29%, against 31.3% across Arizona and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sun Lakes?
Banner Ocotillo Medical Center in Chandler, 5.0 miles in a straight line from Sun Lakes’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sun Lakes have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–6.4%), 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 Lakes 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 Sun Lakes.
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.