Photo: Father of Nehrams2020 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Atwater is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns
Atwater trails California on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Atwater. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Atwater
Making ends meet is harder in Atwater
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (27.3%), vs 17.9% across California. Utility shut-off threats (11.4% vs 7.3%) and housing insecurity (21.9% vs 14.9%) are higher too. 24.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Atwater adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.8%), vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Atwater
55% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 15.3% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). 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 California figure falls outside Atwater’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Atwater’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Atwater is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns, #687 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 64% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health 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). Atwater’s median household income is $64,472; among the 9,828 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$81K), it’s healthier than 32%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
24.8% of Atwater adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
7.6 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Atwater adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Out of every 100 Atwater adults…
Atwater runs above CA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Atwater residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Atwater
1 community health center in Atwater, 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 Atwater; ≈ 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).
How Atwater adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Atwater runs above California.
2 in 5 Atwater 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.
Atwater and the towns around it
Atwater’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Atwater adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Atwater
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Atwater is better than California on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Atwater’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Atwater | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.1%26.1–32.4 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.6–18.4 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.2%17.2–21.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.2%27.2–41.6 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.1%11.5–14.9 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.3%28.5–36.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.7%31.7–40 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22%19.4–24.8 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.1–11.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.3–6.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.7–7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.6%6–7.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.3%12.6–18.4 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.5%12.6–16.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.8%28.2–37.7 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.9%13.1–19 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.8%31.6–44.7 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 17.1%15–19.8 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.9%65.7–74 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55%51.4–58.9 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.8%79.6–83.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.6%66.3–72.6 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 54.8%49.6–60.2 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.3%60.8–77.4 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.3%19–25.9 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.4%34–44.7 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.1%26.1–34.2 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 27.3%23.9–30.7 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 21.9%19.2–24.6 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.4%9.9–12.9 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.5%12–15.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.8%22–27.6 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.3%32.2–40.8 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.5%15.5–19.6 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.2%17.2–21.3 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6–7.6 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.1%7.4–8.8 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.8–12.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.4%5–5.9 | 3.9% | 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 California figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Atwater
Is Atwater a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Atwater is healthier than 25% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #687 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 32%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Atwater?
CDC estimates 34.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.2% and 41.6%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Atwater?
Mercy Medical Center in Merced, 7.1 miles in a straight line from Atwater’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Atwater have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 17.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15–19.8%), 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 Atwater more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Atwater.
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.