Photo: Namiwoo · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, El Cajon as a whole is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns
El Cajon trails California on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for El Cajon. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in El Cajon
Every town around El Cajon scores healthier
All eight graded neighbors are ahead of El Cajon’s C+, from Bostonia (B−) to Casa de Oro-Mount Helix (A). Around town ↓
Making ends meet is harder in El Cajon
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.1%), vs 17.9% across California. Utility shut-off threats (10.2% vs 7.3%) and no reliable transportation (12.3% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 25% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD and depression run high in El Cajon
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.4%), vs 5.1% across California. 1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (24.7%), vs 20.1% across California. In all, El Cajon runs above California on three of 11 chronic conditions. 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 El Cajon’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind El Cajon’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, El Cajon is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns, #607 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 83% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). El Cajon’s median household income is $67,511; among the 10,278 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$84K), it’s healthier than 49%, about where its income would put it.
At 101,755 residents, El Cajon is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
El Cajon and the towns around it
El Cajon’s Health Grade ranks 9th of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Cajon | C+ | 30% | 11.8% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Casa de Oro-Mount Helix | A | 25.2% | 10.1% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| Granite Hills | B+ | 26.6% | 11.3% | 11.3% | CDC place |
| Bostonia | B− | 29.4% | 10.9% | 13.8% | CDC place |
| La Mesa | A− | 26.3% | 9.4% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Santee | A− | 26.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Rancho San Diego | A | 25% | 9.7% | 10% | CDC place |
| Winter Gardens | B | 27.9% | 10.3% | 12.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
25% of El Cajon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Out of every 100 El Cajon adults…
El Cajon runs above CA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near El Cajon
5 community health centers in El Cajon, 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 El Cajon; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
3.2 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of El Cajon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How El Cajon adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, El Cajon runs above California.
2 in 5 El Cajon 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of El Cajon adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for El Cajon
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, El Cajon is better than California on 0 and worse on 18; on the rest, the California figure falls inside El Cajon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | El Cajon | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.3%23.3–27.7 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%14–17.1 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.1%18.3–22.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30%26.7–33.9 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.6–13.3 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.4%30–35 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%31.8–37.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.9%21–25.1 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.3–11.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.2%6.6–7.8 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.9–7.1 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.4%6.7–8.1 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15%12.4–17.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.3%13.6–17.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26%23.4–28.9 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.3%14.3–18.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.8%33.2–40.4 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.1%9.9–12.6 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.9%69.2–74.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.1%54.2–60 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.7%81–84.4 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.1%65.3–71.1 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.9%54.8–62.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.7%67.2–79.2 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.7%22.3–27.6 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 37.8%34.6–41.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.9%27.1–32.9 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.1%20.9–25.6 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.8%16.9–20.9 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.2%9.1–11.5 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.3%11.1–13.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 25%22.8–27.4 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.7%31–36.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.1%14.6–17.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.5%16.8–20.3 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%6–7.4 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%6.6–7.7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.9–11.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.8–5.6 | 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 El Cajon
Is El Cajon a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, El Cajon is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #607 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 49%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in El Cajon?
CDC estimates 30% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.7% and 33.9%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to El Cajon?
Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, 3.2 miles in a straight line from El Cajon’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in El Cajon have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.9–12.6%), 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 El Cajon 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 El Cajon.
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.