Photo: Epolk at English Wikipedia · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Compton is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns
Compton differs from California on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 22 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Compton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Compton
Making ends meet is harder in Compton
36% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 17.9% across California (about twice the California rate). Housing insecurity (29.9% vs 14.9%) and utility shut-off threats (13.8% vs 7.3%) are higher too. 33.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Compton
49.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 16.8% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
More Compton adults lack emotional support
37.2% of adults lack social or emotional support, vs 28.6% across California. Loneliness is above the state too: 45.7%, vs 37.3% across California. Mind & connection ↓
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 Compton’s likely range.
What’s behind Compton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Compton is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns, #729 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 67% 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). Compton’s median household income is $78,465; among the 10,821 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$98K), it’s healthier than 11%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Compton compares well: arthritis, 19.1% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 3.8% (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.
33.6% of Compton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Keeping up with care
Share of Compton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Compton adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Compton runs above California.
5 in 10 Compton 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 Compton adults…
Compton runs below CA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Compton residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Compton
8 community health centers in Compton, 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 Compton; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
1 mile of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Compton and the towns around it
Compton’s Health Grade ranks 7th of 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compton | C− | 33.7% | 14.7% | 14.5% | CDC place |
| Willowbrook | C− | 33.3% | 14.3% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| Carson | B | 25.7% | 14.5% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Lynwood | C− | 32.7% | 14.2% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| West Rancho Dominguez | C− | 33.8% | 15.4% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Paramount | C | 31.4% | 13.4% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| East Rancho Dominguez | C− | 33.3% | 14.5% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Long Beach | B | 27.4% | 11.7% | 11.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Compton adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Compton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Compton is better than California on 2 and worse on 22; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Compton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Compton | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 33.4%31.1–35.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.3%15.8–18.7 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.7%18.1–21.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.7%30.6–36.9 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.7%13.3–16 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32%30–34 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%32.1–36.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19.1%17.6–20.6 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.4–11.4 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.8%3.5–4.2 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.8–5.8 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.5%5–6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.8%14.1–19.5 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.5%12.9–16 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.2%31.4–36.9 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%13.3–16.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.2%38.1–44.2 | 35.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 20.3%18.5–22.4 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.4%66.9–71.7 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49.7%47.1–52.2 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.5%78.8–82.1 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.4%67.1–71.6 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 48.8%45.3–52 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.1%68.9–78.5 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.8%17.9–21.7 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 45.7%43–48.6 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 37.2%34.6–40 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 36%33.5–38.6 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 29.9%27.6–32.4 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.8%12.5–15.5 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 17.2%15.7–18.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 33.6%31.1–36.3 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.2%36.5–41.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.7%17.2–20.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.1%19.4–22.9 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.8 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 9.9%9.2–10.7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.2%11.2–13.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.7%6.2–7.2 | 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 Compton
Is Compton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Compton is healthier than 20% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #729 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 11%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Compton?
CDC estimates 33.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.6% and 36.9%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Compton?
Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital in Los Angeles, 2.3 miles in a straight line from Compton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Compton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 20.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 18.5–22.4%), 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 Compton 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 Compton.
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.