Photo: Sanfranman59 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Alameda is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns
Alameda beats California on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Alameda. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Alameda
Alameda is an active town
Only 17.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 14 miles of trails across 32 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Nearly everyone in Alameda is insured
Only 4.9% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 10.6% across California. Checkups ↓
Fewer Alameda adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below California. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Alameda has a top-rated hospital
Alameda Hospital 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 California figure falls outside Alameda’s likely range.
What’s behind Alameda’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alameda is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns, #104 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 81%.
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). Alameda’s median household income is $137,697; among the 3,766 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($103K–$172K), it’s healthier than 79%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
14 miles of trails across 32 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Alameda adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.6% of Alameda adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Care in and near Alameda
1 hospital in Alameda, 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 Alameda; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Alameda adults…
Alameda runs below CA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
How Alameda adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Alameda does better than California.
4 in 10 Alameda 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.
Alameda and the towns around it
Alameda has the best Health Grade of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda | A | 21.4% | 10% | 8.3% | CDC place |
| Oakland | B+ | 27.6% | 11.4% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| San Francisco | A | 17.5% | 9.7% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| Brisbane | A | 23.2% | 10.4% | 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 Alameda adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Alameda
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Alameda is better than California on 18 and worse on 0; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Alameda’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Alameda | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.3%13.6–17.2 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.7%9.5–12 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%13–16.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 21.4%17.9–25.5 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10%8.7–11.4 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.9%25–31.1 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34%30.8–37.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.3%18.1–22.8 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9%8–10.1 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.9%6.3–7.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.6%4.2–5.1 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.5%4.4–6.8 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.3%7.2–9.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.5%15–20.3 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.9%13.6–18.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.8%29–36.9 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.9%4.2–5.6 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74%70.8–77 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.4%67.6–73 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.2%87.8–90.4 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.6%68.3–74.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.7%57.5–65.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.9%70.5–82.5 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.5%17–22.3 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36%31.9–40.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.3%22.2–28.6 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.2%8.8–11.8 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.9%7.7–10.2 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.7%4.1–5.4 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6%5.3–6.7 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.6%7.4–9.8 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.6%21.8–27.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.2%9–11.6 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.7%9.6–12 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5%4.4–5.6 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.9% | 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 California figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Alameda
Is Alameda a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alameda is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns: A for health, #104 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 79%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Alameda?
CDC estimates 21.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 17.9% and 25.5%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Alameda?
Alameda Hospital in Alameda, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Alameda’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Alameda have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.2–5.6%), against 10.6% across California.
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 Alameda more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Alameda.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The California 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.