Atascadero Printery · Photo: MoneyMattson · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Atascadero is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns
Atascadero differs from California on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Atascadero. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Atascadero
Cancer, COPD and arthritis run high in Atascadero
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.1%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 16 adults have COPD (6.3%), vs 5.1% across California. Arthritis is also above the state: 25.5%, vs 20.8% across California. In all, Atascadero runs above California on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Atascadero is an active town
Only 20.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 21 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Fewer Atascadero adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing and getting around all run below California. 1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Atascadero’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Atascadero’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Atascadero is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns, #339 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 90% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 46%).
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). Atascadero’s median household income is $91,429; among the 9,801 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$114K), it’s healthier than 69%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Atascadero adults…
Atascadero runs below CA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
21 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.5% of Atascadero adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Care in and near Atascadero
1 community health center in Atascadero, 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 Atascadero; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Atascadero adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Atascadero adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Atascadero runs above California.
1 in 3 Atascadero 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.
Atascadero and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atascadero | B+ | 27.8% | 10.2% | 12.1% | CDC place |
| Templeton | A | 25.7% | 9.3% | 9.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Atascadero adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Atascadero
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Atascadero is better than California on 11 and worse on 4; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Atascadero’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Atascadero | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.3%17–21.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.3–15.5 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.4–19.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.8%22.4–33.7 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.8–11.6 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.9%29.3–36.4 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.9%31.1–38.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.5%22.7–28.3 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.7 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.2–9.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.3%5.6–7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.4%6.7–10.3 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.1%10.3–13.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.5%17.2–24 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%13.7–19.5 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.8%26.3–37.7 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%6.1–8.3 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.4%68.7–76 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.5%65.2–71.9 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.9%85.3–88.4 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.8%68.5–74.9 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67%62.1–71.6 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.3%70.1–83.4 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%20.7–27.3 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 34.1%29.6–39 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.9%21.6–28.6 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.1%11.3–15 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.3%9.8–13 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.5–7.2 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.7–8.5 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.5%10.8–14.3 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.6%25.9–33.3 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.6%11.9–15.4 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.8–16 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4.2–5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%7.2–8.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.6%3.3–4 | 3.9% | 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 California figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Atascadero
Is Atascadero a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Atascadero is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #339 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 69%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Atascadero?
CDC estimates 27.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.4% and 33.7%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Atascadero?
Adventist Health Twin Cities in Templeton, 5.1 miles in a straight line from Atascadero’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Atascadero have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.3%), 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 Atascadero 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 Atascadero.
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.