Photo: en:User:Epolk Eric Polk · CC BY-SA 2.5On CDC estimates, Brawley is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns
Brawley differs from California on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Brawley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Brawley
Dental care lags in Brawley
48.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 17% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
More Brawley adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (35.6%), vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Brawley
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (31.7%), vs 17.9% across California. Utility shut-off threats (13.4% vs 7.3%) and no reliable transportation (15.8% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 29.7% 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 Brawley’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Brawley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brawley is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns, #712 of 847 in California. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 66% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Brawley’s median household income is $59,311; among the 8,735 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 33%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Brawley compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.1% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Brawley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
0.8 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
29.7% of Brawley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Out of every 100 Brawley adults…
Brawley runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Brawley residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Brawley
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Brawley, 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 Brawley; ≈ 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 Brawley adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
2 in 5 Brawley 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.
Brawley and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brawley | C− | 35.1% | 15.3% | 13.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Brawley adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Brawley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Brawley is better than California on 1 and worse on 17; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Brawley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Brawley | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 32.9%29.5–36.4 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.6–19.6 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.4–20.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.1%28.1–42.7 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.3%13.4–17.3 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.3%29.5–37.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.2%31.1–39.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.4%18.8–24.2 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.4–10.7 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6.1–7.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.9%5.2–6.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17%13.9–20.4 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.1%11.3–15.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35.6%31–40.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%12.9–18.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.6%34.9–48.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 21.5%18.7–24.5 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.4%65.1–73.4 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 48.5%44.8–52.3 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.6%79.4–83.7 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.6%67.4–73.5 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 53.9%48.4–59.2 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.9%61.8–78.5 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.7%17.6–24.1 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.2%33–43.5 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.4%26.5–34.6 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31.7%27.8–35.4 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 25.2%22.1–28.3 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.4%11.7–15.1 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.8%13.9–17.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 29.7%26.3–33 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.3%35–43.9 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.7%17.6–22.1 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.8%17.7–22.1 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.5–8.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.5%9.6–11.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.4%10.2–12.8 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.5%5.9–7.1 | 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 Brawley
Is Brawley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Brawley is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #712 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 33%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Brawley?
CDC estimates 35.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.1% and 42.7%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Brawley?
Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District in Brawley, 1.9 miles in a straight line from Brawley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Brawley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 21.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 18.7–24.5%), 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 Brawley 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 Brawley.
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.