Photo: pedrik · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Berkeley as a whole is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns
Berkeley differs from California on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 20 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Berkeley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Berkeley
Diabetes and heart disease are less common in Berkeley
Berkeley runs below California on eight chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (7.4% vs 11.7%), heart disease (3.9% vs 5.6%) and stroke (2.2% vs 3.1%). Conditions ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Berkeley doesn’t win on
18.1% of adults binge drink, vs 15.3% across California, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Berkeley is an active town
Only 17.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 17 miles of trails across 40 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Berkeley has a top-rated hospital
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates Camp 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 Berkeley’s likely range.
What’s behind Berkeley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Berkeley is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, #157 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 98% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). Berkeley’s median household income is $108,092; among the 7,442 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($81K–$135K), it’s healthier than 84%, about where its income would put it.
At 121,911 residents, Berkeley is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Out of every 100 Berkeley adults…
Berkeley runs below CA on 9 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
17 miles of trails across 40 parks and preserves
Care in and near Berkeley
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Berkeley, 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 Berkeley; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Berkeley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Berkeley adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Berkeley runs above California.
2 in 5 Berkeley 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.2% of Berkeley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Berkeley and the towns around it
Berkeley’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | A | 22.2% | 7.4% | 8% | CDC place |
| Oakland | B+ | 27.6% | 11.4% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Albany | A+ | 20.1% | 7.9% | 6.7% | CDC place |
| Kensington | A+ | 23.7% | 9.2% | 5.2% | CDC place |
| Emeryville | A+ | 21.2% | 6.8% | 6.6% | CDC place |
| San Francisco | A | 17.5% | 9.7% | 9.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Berkeley adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Berkeley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Berkeley is better than California on 20 and worse on 4; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Berkeley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Berkeley | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.1%14.3–18 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.4%9.3–11.7 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16.3–20 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22.2%18.6–26.3 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 7.4%6.5–8.5 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 23.7%21.3–26.4 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 28.5%25.7–31.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 16.9%15.1–18.9 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.7–10.9 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6%5.5–6.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.7%3.3–4.1 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.2%2–2.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.1%4.9–7.4 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8%7–9.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.1%14.8–19.9 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15.5–21.1 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.9%29.1–37 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.1%5.2–7 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.2%66.8–73.6 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.3%63.4–69.1 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.7%79.9–83.6 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 65.3%62.5–68.1 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.7%61.5–69.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.2%71–82.8 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%20.2–26 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 39.3%35.1–43.5 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.7%21.8–27.9 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.5%12.7–16.4 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11%9.6–12.5 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.5–7.1 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.2%8.3–10.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.2%11.7–14.9 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.4%24.5–30.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.8%7.7–9.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%13–16 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.5%4–5.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.9–4.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.5%2.3–2.7 | 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 Berkeley
Is Berkeley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Berkeley is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns: A for health, #157 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 84%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Berkeley?
CDC estimates 22.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.6% and 26.3%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Berkeley?
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates Camp in Berkeley, 1.9 miles in a straight line from Berkeley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Berkeley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–7%), 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 Berkeley 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 Berkeley.
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.