James C. Rives House · Photo: Floatjon · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Downey as a whole is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns
Downey differs from California on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Downey. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Downey
More Downey adults lack emotional support
1 in 3 adults lack social or emotional support (31.6%), vs 28.6% across California. Loneliness is above the state too: 41.1%, vs 37.3% across California. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Downey
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.8%), vs 17.9% across California. Housing insecurity (19.4% vs 14.9%) is higher too. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in Downey has no health insurance
14.8% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 10.6% across California. Checkups ↓
Downey has three hospitals within its borders
3 hospitals and 5 community health centers are inside Downey. Pih Health Downey Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Downey’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to B+.
What’s behind Downey’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Downey is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns, #432 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 90% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Downey’s median household income is $90,699; among the 9,875 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($68K–$113K), it’s healthier than 53%, about where its income would put it.
At 108,468 residents, Downey is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
How Downey adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Downey runs above California.
2 in 5 Downey 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.
17.2% of Downey adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Keeping up with care
Share of Downey adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Downey
3 hospitals and 5 community health centers in Downey, 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 Downey; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Downey adults…
Downey runs below CA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
13 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Downey and the towns around it
Downey has the best Health Grade of the 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downey | B | 27.6% | 11.8% | 9.9% | CDC place |
| South Gate | C | 31% | 13.8% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| Bellflower | C+ | 28.7% | 12.9% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| Norwalk | B− | 26.9% | 12.7% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Santa Fe Springs | B− | 28.5% | 13.9% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Paramount | C | 31.4% | 13.4% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Bell Gardens | D | 34.5% | 16.1% | 16.1% | CDC place |
| Pico Rivera | C+ | 29.1% | 14% | 10.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Downey adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Downey
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Downey is better than California on 6 and worse on 8; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Downey’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Downey | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.4%22.6–26.2 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.9–15.3 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.1%14.7–17.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.6%24.8–30.5 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.8–13 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 27.4%25.5–29.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.3%33–37.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 17.8%16.4–19.2 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.7%7.8–9.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5%4.6–5.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.3–5.1 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4%3.6–4.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.6–3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.1%7.5–10.9 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 26.7%24.3–29 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.1%14.3–17.9 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36%33–38.8 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.8%13.2–16.5 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.2%67.7–72.4 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.6%58–62.9 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.5%83.1–85.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.4%66.8–71.7 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 53.3%49.8–56.5 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.6%70.5–79.9 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.5%16.6–20.2 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 41.1%38.5–44 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.6%29.2–34.3 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.8%20–23.9 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.4%17.7–21.3 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%7–8.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.5%9.5–11.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.2%15.6–19.1 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.4%29–33.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.8%12.6–15 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.7%14.3–17.1 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%6–7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7.4–8.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.9–4.5 | 3.9% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Downey
Is Downey a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Downey is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns: B for health, #432 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 53%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Downey?
CDC estimates 27.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.8% and 30.5%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Downey?
Pih Health Downey Hospital in Downey, 0.2 miles in a straight line from Downey’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Downey have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.2–16.5%), 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 Downey more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Downey.
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.