Photo: The Front Page Online · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Carson is healthier than 27%
Carson differs from California on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Carson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Carson
More Carson adults lack emotional support
1 in 3 adults lack social or emotional support (34.4%), vs 28.6% across California. Loneliness is above the state too: 42%, vs 37.3% across California. Mind & connection ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Carson’s lead shrinks
Carson is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns, but 27% of the 7,332 towns with similar household incomes ($82K–$136K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Diabetes and stroke run high in Carson
1 in 7 adults have diabetes (14.5%), vs 11.7% across California. 1 in 27 adults have had a stroke (3.7%), vs 3.1% across California. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Carson, and more people treating it
33.5% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 75.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. 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 Carson’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to B+.
What’s behind Carson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Carson is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns, #466 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 94% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 19%).
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). Carson’s median household income is $108,703; among the 7,332 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($82K–$136K), it’s healthier than 27%, less than its income alone would suggest.
How Carson adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Carson runs above California.
2 in 5 Carson 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.
Out of every 100 Carson adults…
Carson runs below CA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Carson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Carson
1 community health center in Carson, 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 Carson; ≈ 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.
3 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.
17.7% of Carson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Carson and the towns around it
Carson’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson | B | 25.7% | 14.5% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Los Angeles | B− | 27.3% | 11.9% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Compton | C− | 33.7% | 14.7% | 14.5% | CDC place |
| Long Beach | B | 27.4% | 11.7% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| West Carson | B+ | 22.2% | 13.3% | 9.2% | CDC place |
| West Rancho Dominguez | C− | 33.8% | 15.4% | 13.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Carson adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Carson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Carson is better than California on 5 and worse on 10; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Carson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Carson | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.2%22.5–26 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.8–15.1 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%14–16.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.7%23.1–28.3 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.5%13.2–15.8 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 33.5%31.4–35.5 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%36.2–40.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 20.9%19.3–22.4 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.1%8.2–10 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.4%4.9–5.8 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.3%8.5–12.2 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%9.4–11.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.4%25–29.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.7%11.3–14.2 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.8%34.8–40.6 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.3%9.2–11.6 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.5%72.4–76.6 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.8%58.3–63.1 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.4%85.1–87.7 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.4%73.3–77.5 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.4%53.9–60.6 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.7%71.8–80.8 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.6%14.9–18.3 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 42%39.3–44.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 34.4%31.9–37.1 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21%19.1–22.9 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17%15.5–18.8 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.5%6.7–8.5 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.1%9.1–11.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.7%16–19.5 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.6%29.4–33.8 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.7%14.4–17 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.3%13–15.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.6%5–6.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%6–7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.5%7.7–9.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.2–4.9 | 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 Carson
Is Carson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Carson is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns: B for health, #466 of 847 in California. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Carson?
CDC estimates 25.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.1% and 28.3%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Carson?
College Medical Center in Long Beach, 3.9 miles in a straight line from Carson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Carson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.2–11.6%), 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 Carson more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Carson.
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.