East Bakersfield’s CDC health estimates rank near the bottom of U.S. towns
East Bakersfield differs from California on 28 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 27 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for East Bakersfield. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in East Bakersfield
More East Bakersfield adults get no exercise
1 in 2 adults get no exercise outside work (47.6%), about twice the California rate. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in East Bakersfield
34.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 34% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in East Bakersfield
1 in 4 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off (24.8%), 3 times the California rate. Food insecurity (53.2% vs 17.9%) and no reliable transportation (27.4% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 55.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 East Bakersfield’s likely range.
What’s behind East Bakersfield’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, East Bakersfield is near the bottom of U.S. towns, #844 of 847 in California. All seven of East Bakersfield’s estimates fall in the lowest 4% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is fair or poor health: 45.3% of adults, against 22.1% across California and 19.4% nationally.
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). East Bakersfield’s median household income is $38,644; among the 2,019 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($29K–$48K), it’s healthier than 3%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where East Bakersfield compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 3.6% (U.S. 7.9%).
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of East Bakersfield adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
55.2% of East Bakersfield adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Out of every 100 East Bakersfield adults…
East Bakersfield runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 9. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 7% of East Bakersfield residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near East Bakersfield
No hospital or community health center in East Bakersfield 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 East Bakersfield; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
How East Bakersfield adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, East Bakersfield runs above California.
2 in 5 East Bakersfield 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.
East Bakersfield and the towns around it
East Bakersfield’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Bakersfield | D− | 44.6% | 18.3% | 22.1% | CDC place |
| Bakersfield | C | 34.5% | 12.4% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Potomac Park | D− | 43% | 18.4% | 19.2% | CDC place |
| La Cresta | D | 38.5% | 13.9% | 15.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of East Bakersfield adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for East Bakersfield
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, East Bakersfield is better than California on 1 and worse on 27; on the rest, the California figure falls inside East Bakersfield’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | East Bakersfield | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 45.3%41.1–49.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.6%20.2–25.2 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 24.7%22.3–27.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 44.6%38.7–50.6 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 18.3%16.3–20.5 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.8%31.4–38.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.1%29.7–36.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.9%18.6–23.4 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.3%10–12.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.6%3.3–4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.7%7.7–9.8 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4.1–4.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 34%29.1–39.2 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 22.1%19.2–25.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 47.6%42.5–52.7 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.5–17.8 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.8%38.5–49.3 | 35.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 32.2%28.1–36.6 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.2%63.2–71.2 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 34.4%31.3–37.8 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 72.9%70–75.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 64.6%61.3–67.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 37.8%33.2–42.6 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 64.7%56.4–72.8 | 75.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.7%21.5–28.2 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 41%36.2–45.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 34.3%30.3–38.5 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 53.2%48.5–57.6 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 40.1%36.1–44 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 24.8%22.1–27.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 27.4%24.5–30.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 55.2%50.8–59.3 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 50.4%45.7–55.2 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 25.7%23–28.5 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 28.9%25.8–32 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.9–8.7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 16.8%15.1–18.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 17.9%15.8–19.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 10.3%9.2–11.3 | 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 East Bakersfield
Is East Bakersfield a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, East Bakersfield is near the bottom of U.S. towns: D− for health, #844 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 3%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in East Bakersfield?
CDC estimates 44.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 38.7% and 50.6%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to East Bakersfield?
Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, 0.4 miles in a straight line from East Bakersfield’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in East Bakersfield have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 32.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 28.1–36.6%), 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 East Bakersfield more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays D−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in East Bakersfield.
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.