Cabot's Old Indian Pueblo Museum · Photo: Jllm06 · CC0On CDC estimates, Desert Hot Springs is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns
Desert Hot Springs differs from California on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 22 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Desert Hot Springs. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Desert Hot Springs
Obesity, COPD and depression run high in Desert Hot Springs
2 in 5 adults have obesity (41.2%), vs 27.8% across California. 1 in 15 adults have COPD (6.7%), vs 5.1% across California. Depression is also above the state: 23.6%, vs 20.1% across California. In all, Desert Hot Springs runs above California on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Desert Hot Springs
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (29.4%), vs 17.9% across California. Utility shut-off threats (12.7% vs 7.3%) and housing insecurity (24.3% vs 14.9%) are higher too. 26.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Desert Hot Springs
54.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 17.2% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
Desert Hot Springs is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Desert Hot Springs is healthier than 14%. Against the 6,711 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$66K), it’s healthier than 29%. 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 Hot Springs’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Desert Hot Springs’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Desert Hot Springs is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns, #767 of 847 in California. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 49% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 5%).
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 Hot Springs’ median household income is $52,761; among the 6,711 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$66K), it’s healthier than 29%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Desert Hot Springs compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.6% (U.S. 7.9%).
Out of every 100 Desert Hot Springs adults…
Desert Hot Springs runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 9. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Desert Hot Springs residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
26.8% of Desert Hot Springs adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Keeping up with care
Share of Desert Hot Springs adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Desert Hot Springs
1 community health center in Desert Hot Springs, 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 Desert Hot Springs; ≈ 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.
46 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
How Desert Hot Springs adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Desert Hot Springs runs above California.
2 in 5 Desert Hot Springs 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.
Desert Hot Springs and the towns around it
Desert Hot Springs’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Hot Springs | D | 41.2% | 13.7% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| Garnet | D | 42.4% | 14.8% | 14.7% | CDC place |
| Palm Springs | B− | 35.5% | 14.9% | 10.7% | CDC place |
| Cathedral City | C | 37.8% | 14.2% | 12.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Desert Hot Springs adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Desert Hot Springs
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Desert Hot Springs is better than California on 1 and worse on 22; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Desert Hot Springs’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Desert Hot Springs | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30.3%27.6–33.2 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15.6–19.1 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.8%17.9–21.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.2%37–45.7 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.7%12.2–15.3 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.2%31.6–37 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.1%33.3–39.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.1%22.1–26.4 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.1–11.4 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.9–7.1 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.7%6–7.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.4–3.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.2%14.2–20.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.9%13.2–16.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.6%29.3–36.3 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%12.3–16.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.1%36.9–45.4 | 35.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 17.1%14.9–19.5 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 70%66.8–73.1 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.2%50.9–57.4 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.7%79.8–83.6 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.7%65.9–71.6 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.2%50.8–59.5 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.1%69.7–81.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.6%21–26.5 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 38.6%34.9–42.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.9%26.7–33.2 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 29.4%26.3–32.7 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 24.3%21.7–27.2 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.7%11.2–14.3 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.5%12.9–16.2 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 26.8%24–29.8 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.8%36.5–43.3 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.7%17–20.7 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.9%17.9–21.9 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%6–7.5 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.4%7.7–9.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.5%10.4–12.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 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 Hot Springs
Is Desert Hot Springs a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Desert Hot Springs is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns: D for health, #767 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 29%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Desert Hot Springs?
CDC estimates 41.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 37% and 45.7%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Desert Hot Springs?
Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, 8.2 miles in a straight line from Desert Hot Springs’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Desert Hot Springs have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 17.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.9–19.5%), 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 Hot Springs 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 Hot Springs.
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.