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D−Health Grade
Health in Benton Park · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Benton Park is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns

Benton Park differs from California on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 21 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Benton Park. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Benton Park

More Benton Park adults get no exercise

2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (39.5%), vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓

Making ends meet is harder in Benton Park

2 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (38.1%), about twice the California rate. Utility shut-off threats (16.9% vs 7.3%) and no reliable transportation (19% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 38.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓

Dental care lags in Benton Park

48.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 18.5% 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 Benton Park’s likely range.

Health Grade

What’s behind Benton Park’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Benton Park is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns, #822 of 847 in California. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 23% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 2%).

D−Self-rated health35.9% · CA 22.1% · U.S. 19.4%
D−Physical distress19.2% · CA 13.4% · U.S. 13%
D−Mental distress22% · CA 16.4% · U.S. 15.9%
C−Obesity40.5% · CA 27.8% · U.S. 32.9%
DDiabetes16.2% · CA 11.7% · U.S. 12%
C−Smoking17.7% smoke · CA 10.9% · U.S. 11.8%
D−Exercise39.5% · CA 24.6% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 5%
Less healthyHealthier
California towns we grade (847)Healthier than 3%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $37K–$62K (5,694)Healthier than 12%

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). Benton Park’s median household income is $49,717; among the 5,694 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($37K–$62K), it’s healthier than 12%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

Where Benton Park compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.1% (U.S. 7.9%).

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Benton Park could be anywhere from D− to C−.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with California

Share of adults, with the California figure marked.

Get no exercise 39.5%CA 24.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 39.6%CA 35.1%
Binge drink 15.5%CA 15.3%
Smoke cigarettes 17.7%CA 10.9%
0%10%20%30%40%
Benton Park, betterBenton Park, worseAbout the sameCalifornia
Where Benton Park gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

2 in 5
Benton Park adults worry about having enough food
38.1% · CA 17.9%
Worse than CA
3 in 10
Benton Park adults worry about keeping their housing
29.4% · CA 14.9%
Worse than CA
1 in 6
Benton Park adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
16.9% · CA 7.3%
Worse than CA
1 in 5
Benton Park adults lack reliable transportation
19% · CA 9.3%
Worse than CA

38.8% of Benton Park adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Benton Park adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.

70%Yearly checkupCA 72%
48%Dentist visitCA 63%
79%Cholesterol checkCA 85%
53%Colon screeningCA 58%
70%MammogramCA 76%
68%Taking BP medsCA 71%
1 in 4
working-age adults has no health insurance
Benton Park 22.7% · California 1 in 9 (10.6%)
Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Benton Park adults…

Benton Park runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 9. Tap one to see it as people.

8 of every 100 Benton Park adults have COPD
California: 5 in 100 · worse · likely 7–8.8%
Better than CAWorseAbout the sameCalifornia
Why age matters in Benton Park

Only 10% of Benton Park residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.

Residents 65 and older

Benton Park10%
California16%
Getting care

Care in and near Benton Park

No hospital or community health center in Benton Park itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERMercy HospitalBakersfield · 1.9 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMercy Hospital★★★★★ · 1.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careClinica Sierra VistaBakersfield · 0.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.8 mi
Clinica Sierra Vista
3 sites · nearest in Bakersfield
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
1.3 mi
Omni Family Health
5 sites · nearest in Bakersfield
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
1.9 mi
Mercy Hospital
Bakersfield · ★★★★★
ER
2.6 mi
Adventist Health Bakersfield
Bakersfield · ★★★★★
ER
3.3 mi
Bakersfield Memorial Hospital
Bakersfield · ★★★★★
ER
4.2 mi
Kern Medical Center
Bakersfield · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary carePart of Benton Park is a federal shortage area.MSSA 66b - Bakersfield East · need score 17 of 25
✓ Dental careBenton Park is not a shortage area
! Mental healthPart of Benton Park is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, MSSA 66a-d/Bakersfield · need score 17 of 25

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 Benton Park; ≈ 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).

Mind & connection

How Benton Park adults are doing

On 2 of 4 measures, Benton Park runs above California.

2 in 5Benton Park adults feel lonely
38.6% · CA 37.3% · About the same as CA
1 in 3Benton Park adults lack social or emotional support
31.8% · CA 28.6% · About the same as CA
1 in 4Benton Park adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.4% · CA 20.1% · Worse than CA
1 in 5Benton Park adults are in frequent mental distress
22% · CA 16.4% · Worse than CA
The one neighbors can help with

2 in 5 Benton Park adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Benton Park and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
Benton ParkD−40.5%16.2%17.7%CDC place
Old StineD39.3%14.5%17.1%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

43.8%

of Benton Park adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs21.9%
Thinking or memory23.1%
Hearing7.5%
Errands alone13.7%
Vision11.6%
Dressing or bathing7.4%
California

Every CDC estimate for Benton Park

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Benton Park is better than California on 1 and worse on 21; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Benton Park’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…Benton ParkCAU.S.vs CA
Overall health
Fair or poor health35.9%32.3–39.522.1%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)19.2%17.2–21.313.4%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)22%19.7–24.316.4%15.9%Worse
Conditions
Obesity40.5%34.7–46.427.8%32.9%Worse
Diabetes16.2%14.3–18.111.7%12%Worse
High blood pressure34.8%31.4–38.230.5%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)33.7%30.3–37.235.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis22.5%20–24.920.8%25.3%About the same
Asthma10.8%9.6–12.19.3%9.9%Worse
Cancer, other than skin cancer5.1%4.6–5.66.4%7.9%Better
Coronary heart disease7.3%6.6–85.6%6.4%Worse
COPD7.9%7–8.85.1%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.3%3.9–4.63.1%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)18.5%15.2–22.110.6%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17.7%15.4–20.110.9%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work39.5%34.9–4424.6%24.7%Worse
Binge drinking15.5%12.9–18.315.3%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours39.6%34.5–4535.1%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)22.7%19.3–26.610.6%11%Worse
Checkup in the past year70.2%66.3–73.871.9%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year48.3%44.8–51.962.8%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years78.7%76.2–81.185.4%87.1%Worse
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)68.4%65.2–71.371.3%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)53.2%48.1–58.257.5%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)69.9%62.1–7775.7%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression23.4%20.4–26.720.1%20.6%Worse
Feel lonely38.6%33.9–43.137.3%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support31.8%27.9–35.628.6%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food38.1%33.9–42.417.9%15%Worse
Worried about keeping housing29.4%26–32.714.9%12%Worse
Threatened with a utility shut-off16.9%14.9–18.97.3%7.6%Worse
Lack reliable transportation19%16.7–21.39.3%7.9%Worse
Received SNAP (food stamps)38.8%34.7–42.615.6%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability43.8%39.6–4830.4%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs21.9%19.7–24.313.8%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering23.1%20.7–25.714.6%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty7.5%6.7–8.35.9%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty11.6%10.5–12.75.6%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone13.7%12.3–15.38.1%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing7.4%6.7–8.13.9%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 Benton Park

Is Benton Park a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Benton Park is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #822 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 12%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Benton Park?

CDC estimates 40.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.7% and 46.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Benton Park?

Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, 1.9 miles in a straight line from Benton Park’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

How many people in Benton Park have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 22.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 19.3–26.6%), 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 Benton Park 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 Benton Park.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.