Photo: U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Julius Delos Reyes · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Edwards AFB is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Edwards AFB differs from California on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Edwards AFB. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Edwards AFB
Binge drinking is the habit Edwards AFB doesn’t win on
25.2% of adults binge drink, vs 15.3% across California, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Mental distress runs high in Edwards AFB
1 in 4 adults are in frequent mental distress (23%), vs 16.4% across California. Depression is above the state too: 27.7%, vs 20.1% across California. Mind & connection ↓
The nearest ER is 20 miles from Edwards AFB
The closest emergency room is Antelope Valley Hospital in Lancaster, 20 miles away in a straight line. Getting care ↓
Heart disease and diabetes are less common in Edwards AFB
Edwards AFB runs below California on eight chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (1.6% vs 5.6%), diabetes (3.5% vs 11.7%) and stroke (1% vs 3.1%). A young population is part of it: only 0% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%). 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 Edwards AFB’s likely range.
What’s behind Edwards AFB’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Edwards AFB is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, #212 of 847 in California. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental 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). Edwards AFB’s median household income is $91,250; among the 9,831 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($68K–$114K), it’s healthier than 87%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
14 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Edwards AFB adults…
Edwards AFB runs below CA on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 0% of Edwards AFB residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
How Edwards AFB adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Edwards AFB runs above California.
2 in 5 Edwards AFB 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.
Care in and near Edwards AFB
No hospital or community health center in Edwards AFB 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 Edwards AFB; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Edwards AFB 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.
14.2% of Edwards AFB adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Edwards AFB and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edwards AFB | A− | 29.8% | 3.5% | 10.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Edwards AFB adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Edwards AFB
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Edwards AFB is better than California on 13 and worse on 7; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Edwards AFB’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Edwards AFB | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.4%11.3–15.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9%7.6–10.3 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 23%19.9–25.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.8%24.6–34.9 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 3.5%3–4 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 15.8%13.6–18.1 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 18.4%15.8–21 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 8.7%7.4–10 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.5–12.2 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 2.2%2–2.5 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 1.6%1.4–1.8 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 2.4%2–2.9 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1%0.9–1.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9%7.1–11.2 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.4%8–12.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.4%13.3–19.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 25.2%21.2–29.3 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.6%33.5–43.9 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7%5.7–8.6 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 64.3%59.7–68.8 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.4%60.1–66.8 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.7%74.6–80.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 38.3%34.4–42.2 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 53%48.2–57.8 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.2%69.4–82.2 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.7%24–31.5 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 39.2%34.4–44 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.5%23.5–31.5 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.5%11.7–17.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.8%12.2–17.5 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.3%6.9–9.7 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.8%8.3–11.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.2%11.1–17.5 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.4%20.5–28.1 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 5.1%4.2–5.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%14.3–19.5 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 2.5%2.2–2.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%5.9–8.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.8%1.5–2 | 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 Edwards AFB
Is Edwards AFB a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Edwards AFB is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #212 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 87%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Edwards AFB?
CDC estimates 29.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.6% and 34.9%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Edwards AFB?
Antelope Valley Hospital in Lancaster, 20.0 miles in a straight line from Edwards AFB’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Edwards AFB have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.7–8.6%), 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 Edwards AFB 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 Edwards AFB.
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.