Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Desert Edge is healthier than 76%
Desert Edge differs from California on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Desert Edge. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Desert Edge
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Desert Edge
1 in 8 adults have COPD (12.4%), more than twice the California rate. 1 in 7 adults have heart disease (13.4%), more than twice the California rate. Stroke is also above the state: 6.8%, vs 3.1% across California. In all, Desert Edge runs above California on nine of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 46% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Desert Edge, and more people treating it
50.1% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 82.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
More Desert Edge adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (34.7%), vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Desert Edge is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Desert Edge is healthier than 19%. Against the 1,719 towns with similar household incomes ($28K–$47K), it’s healthier than 76%. Health Grade ↓
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 Desert Edge’s likely range.
What’s behind Desert Edge’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Desert Edge is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns, #731 of 847 in California. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 72% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Desert Edge’s median household income is $37,429; among the 1,719 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($28K–$47K), it’s healthier than 76%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Desert Edge compares well: binge drinking, 9.5% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 79.9% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 89.6% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 Desert Edge adults…
Desert Edge runs above CA on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Desert Edge is an older town: 46% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Desert Edge as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Desert Edge 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.
Care in and near Desert Edge
No hospital or community health center in Desert Edge itself. These are the nearest.
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 Desert Edge; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Desert Edge adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Desert Edge does better than California.
1 in 3 Desert Edge 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.
21.4% of Desert Edge adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Desert Edge and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Edge | C− | 39.2% | 19.8% | 14.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Desert Edge adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Desert Edge
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Desert Edge is better than California on 7 and worse on 18; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Desert Edge’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Desert Edge | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 32.9%29.3–36.9 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.7%18.4–23.1 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%14.1–17.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.2%35–43.5 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 19.8%17.6–22.2 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 50.1%47–53.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 47.8%44.6–51.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 41.6%38.5–44.6 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.1–11.4 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.1%11.9–14.3 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 13.4%12–15 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.4%10.6–14.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.8%6–7.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.8%14–20.1 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%12–16.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.7%30.5–39.2 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 9.5%8.1–11.1 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36%32.1–40.1 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.1%10.9–15.5 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.9%77.5–82.2 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.4%56.1–62.6 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.6%88.3–90.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82.2%79.8–84.5 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.7%61.4–69.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.5%71.5–82.9 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.3%19.7–25.1 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.9%29.5–36.7 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%21.5–27.4 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.9%18.1–24 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.9%13–17 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.6%7.5–9.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.4%9.1–11.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.4%18.4–24.7 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 47.2%43.2–51.1 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 29%25.8–32.4 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.6%14.7–18.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 13.4%12–15 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.4%8.4–10.7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.2%11.6–15 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.3%6.4–8.3 | 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 Desert Edge
Is Desert Edge a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Desert Edge is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #731 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 Desert Edge?
CDC estimates 39.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 35% and 43.5%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Desert Edge?
Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, 8.4 miles in a straight line from Desert Edge’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Desert Edge have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.9–15.5%), 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 Desert Edge 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 Desert Edge.
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.