On CDC estimates, Bell Gardens is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns
Bell Gardens differs from California on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 24 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bell Gardens. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bell Gardens
More Bell Gardens adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (40.6%), vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Bell Gardens
42.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 18.9% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Bell Gardens
44.1% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 17.9% across California (more than twice the California rate). Housing insecurity (34.5% vs 14.9%) and no reliable transportation (20.5% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 40.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% 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 Bell Gardens’ likely range.
What’s behind Bell Gardens’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bell Gardens is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns, #777 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 62% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Bell Gardens’ median household income is $62,298; among the 9,477 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 14%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Bell Gardens compares well: arthritis, 18.3% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 3.6% (U.S. 7.9%).
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
4.3 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Bell Gardens 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.
40.6% of Bell Gardens adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Out of every 100 Bell Gardens adults…
Bell Gardens runs below CA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Bell Gardens residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Bell Gardens
3 community health centers in Bell Gardens, 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 Bell Gardens; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Bell Gardens adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Bell Gardens runs above California.
5 in 10 Bell Gardens 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.
Bell Gardens and the towns around it
Bell Gardens’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.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell Gardens | D | 34.5% | 16.1% | 16.1% | CDC place |
| Bell | C− | 33% | 15.2% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Commerce | C | 30.5% | 14.6% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Cudahy | D | 34.9% | 15.7% | 16.3% | CDC place |
| Downey | B | 27.6% | 11.8% | 9.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bell Gardens adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bell Gardens
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bell Gardens is better than California on 2 and worse on 24; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Bell Gardens’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bell Gardens | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 40.1%37.4–43 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.1%18.4–21.9 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.4%18.7–22.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.5%31.3–37.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16.1%14.7–17.6 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 30.1%28.1–32.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.8%33.6–38 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 18.3%16.8–19.9 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.6–10.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.4–6.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.8%5.2–6.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.9%15.7–22 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.1%14.4–18 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 40.6%37.5–43.7 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15%13.4–16.8 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.9%36.7–42.8 | 35.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 28.5%25.5–31.6 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 66.1%63.5–68.6 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 42.7%40.1–45.1 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 76.6%74.5–78.7 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 66.3%63.8–68.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 42.5%39.1–45.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.5%61.7–72.6 | 75.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.7%18.8–22.8 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 45.3%42.4–48.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 36.3%33.4–39.2 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 44.1%40.9–47.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 34.5%31.6–37.4 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.7%14–17.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 20.5%18.5–22.5 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 40.6%37.2–44 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 44%41–47 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21.1%19.3–22.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 24.4%22.4–26.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%6–7.4 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 13%12–14.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.8%12.6–15.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.9%7.3–8.7 | 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 Bell Gardens
Is Bell Gardens a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bell Gardens is healthier than 12% of U.S. towns: D for health, #777 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 14%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bell Gardens?
CDC estimates 34.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.3% and 37.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bell Gardens?
Pih Health Downey Hospital in Downey, 2.4 miles in a straight line from Bell Gardens’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bell Gardens have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 28.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 25.5–31.6%), 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 Bell Gardens more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bell Gardens.
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.