Photo: Bishopvisitor · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Bishop is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns
Bishop differs from California on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bishop. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bishop
Cancer and arthritis run high in Bishop
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (8.7%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have arthritis (24.4%), vs 20.8% across California. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Bishop adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills 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 Bishop’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Bishop’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bishop is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns, #300 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 91% of towns); the weakest is fair or poor health, still better than 52%.
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). Bishop’s median household income is $83,686; among the 10,491 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$105K), it’s healthier than 82%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Bishop adults…
Bishop runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Bishop is an older town: 28% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Bishop as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.3% of Bishop adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Care in and near Bishop
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Bishop, 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 Bishop; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
2.7 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Bishop adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Bishop adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Bishop does better than California.
1 in 3 Bishop 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.
Bishop and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop | A− | 27.5% | 10.4% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| West Bishop | A | 25.1% | 11% | 8.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bishop adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bishop
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bishop is better than California on 8 and worse on 2; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Bishop’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bishop | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.3%16.3–22.4 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.5–15.3 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.4–18.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.5%20.9–35.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%8.9–12.1 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.9%27.1–35.1 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.6%30.4–39.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.4%21.3–27.5 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.7–11.1 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.8–9.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.4–7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.6%4.7–6.6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.2%6.5–10.2 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.9%8.7–13.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.2%17.2–25.5 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17%13.8–20.4 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.3%26.7–40.3 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.9%6.4–9.8 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.9%68.6–76.8 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.9%61.2–68.3 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.1%85.2–88.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.4%68.7–75.6 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.5%58–68.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.2%69.4–83.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%19.1–26.3 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.5%27.8–38.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.9%20.1–27.6 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.4%10.1–14.9 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.3%9.3–13.2 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5.1–7 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.3%6.2–8.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.3%9.1–13.6 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.6%25.9–35.2 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.2%11.1–15.4 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.8%11.9–15.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6–7.7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.1–5.3 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.6–8.8 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3–3.9 | 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 Bishop
Is Bishop a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bishop is healthier than 75% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health, #300 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 82%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bishop?
CDC estimates 27.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.9% and 35.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bishop?
Northern Inyo Hospital in Bishop, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Bishop’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bishop have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–9.8%), 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 Bishop more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bishop.
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.