Photo: pelle68 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Costa Mesa as a whole is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Costa Mesa differs from California on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Costa Mesa. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Costa Mesa
Binge drinking is the habit Costa Mesa doesn’t win on
18.1% of adults binge drink, vs 15.3% across California. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Costa Mesa’s lead shrinks
Costa Mesa is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, but 55% of the 6,935 towns with similar household incomes ($84K–$139K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Diabetes and stroke are less common in Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa runs below California on five chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (9.3% vs 11.7%), stroke (2.5% vs 3.1%) and arthritis (17.3% vs 20.8%). 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 Costa Mesa’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Costa Mesa’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Costa Mesa is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #292 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 94% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 35%).
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). Costa Mesa’s median household income is $111,505; among the 6,935 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($84K–$139K), it’s healthier than 55%, about where its income would put it.
At 108,881 residents, Costa Mesa is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
19 miles of trails across 30 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Costa Mesa adults…
Costa Mesa runs below CA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Costa Mesa
1 hospital and 3 community health centers in Costa Mesa, 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 Costa Mesa; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Costa Mesa adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Costa Mesa adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
1 in 3 Costa Mesa 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.1% of Costa Mesa adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Costa Mesa and the towns around it
Costa Mesa’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Mesa | A− | 25.7% | 9.3% | 9.7% | CDC place |
| Newport Beach | A+ | 22.1% | 9.2% | 6.6% | CDC place |
| Santa Ana | C+ | 29% | 13% | 11.6% | CDC place |
| Irvine | A+ | 19.2% | 8.3% | 6.9% | CDC place |
| Huntington Beach | A− | 24% | 10.2% | 8.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Costa Mesa adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Costa Mesa
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Costa Mesa is better than California on 8 and worse on 1; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Costa Mesa’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Costa Mesa | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.9%18–22 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%11–13.6 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%16.2–19.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.7%22.2–29.5 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.3%8.2–10.4 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25.8%23.4–28.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.8%30.1–35.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 17.3%15.5–19.1 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.6–10.8 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.4%3.9–4.8 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.1%7.4–11 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.7%8.5–11 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.1%19.6–24.9 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.1%15.5–20.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.8%31.1–38.6 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.8%8.6–11.2 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.7%67.4–73.7 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.9%62.1–67.7 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.3%83.6–86.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.5%65.3–71.4 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.4%55.2–63.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.7%72.9–83.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.7%19.2–24.4 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.3%31.6–38.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.8%23.8–29.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.5%13.7–17.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.7%12–15.4 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%6–7.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.4%7.5–9.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.1%11.6–14.8 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.5%24.9–30.3 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.3%10.1–12.5 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.5%13.1–16 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5%4.5–5.6 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.4%6.7–8.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Costa Mesa
Is Costa Mesa a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Costa Mesa is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #292 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 55%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Costa Mesa?
CDC estimates 25.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.2% and 29.5%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Costa Mesa?
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, 3.0 miles in a straight line from Costa Mesa’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Costa Mesa have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.6–11.2%), 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 Costa Mesa more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Costa Mesa.
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.