Photo: formulanone · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Chowchilla is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns
Chowchilla differs from California on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Chowchilla. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Chowchilla
Making ends meet is harder in Chowchilla
1 in 6 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off (15.9%), about twice the California rate. Food insecurity (33.1% vs 17.9%) and no reliable transportation (17.1% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 34.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Chowchilla
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (18.7%), vs 10.9% across California. Habits ↓
COPD, obesity and stroke run high in Chowchilla
1 in 13 adults have COPD (8%), vs 5.1% across California. 2 in 5 adults have obesity (39.6%), vs 27.8% across California. Stroke is also above the state: 4%, vs 3.1% across California. In all, Chowchilla runs above California on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
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 Chowchilla’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Chowchilla’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chowchilla is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns, #799 of 847 in California. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 24% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Chowchilla’s median household income is $66,514; among the 10,146 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$83K), it’s healthier than 5%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Chowchilla compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.5% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
34.6% of Chowchilla adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
8 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Chowchilla adults…
Chowchilla runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 9. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Chowchilla residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Chowchilla
2 community health centers in Chowchilla, 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 Chowchilla; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Chowchilla adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Chowchilla adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Chowchilla runs above California.
2 in 5 Chowchilla 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.
Chowchilla and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chowchilla | D | 39.6% | 13.9% | 18.7% | CDC place |
| Fairmead | D− | 41.6% | 17.5% | 18.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Chowchilla adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Chowchilla
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Chowchilla is better than California on 1 and worse on 21; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Chowchilla’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Chowchilla | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 32.7%29.3–36.2 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%15.9–20 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.3%20–24.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.6%32.4–47.6 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.9%12.2–15.8 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%30.6–38.5 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.1%29.3–37.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.3%20.6–26.3 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%10–12.8 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.5%5–6.1 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8%7.1–8.9 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.7–4.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19%15.8–22.4 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18.7%16.3–21.3 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33%28.3–38 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.3%12.6–18.4 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.2%32.5–46.1 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.7%14.5–19.2 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.2%65–73.4 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.6%48.7–56.3 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.1%77.8–82.3 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.1%64.7–71.5 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 53.7%48.1–59 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.1%64.8–80.4 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.7%20.3–27.5 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 37.9%32.8–43.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.1%26.1–34.4 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 33.1%29.3–36.9 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 25.9%22.9–29.2 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.9%13.9–18 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 17.1%15.2–19.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 34.6%31–38.3 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.7%35.2–44.4 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.1%16.9–21.5 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.7%19.4–24.1 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.4%8.6–10.3 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.2%11.8–14.6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.8%6.2–7.4 | 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 Chowchilla
Is Chowchilla a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Chowchilla is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns: D for health, #799 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 5%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Chowchilla?
CDC estimates 39.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.4% and 47.6%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Chowchilla?
Madera Community Hospital in Madera, 16.0 miles in a straight line from Chowchilla’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Chowchilla have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.5–19.2%), 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 Chowchilla 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 Chowchilla.
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.