US Post Office-El Centro Main · Photo: Cbl62 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, El Centro is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns
El Centro differs from California on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for El Centro. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in El Centro
More El Centro adults get no exercise
35.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in El Centro
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (31.4%), vs 17.9% across California. Utility shut-off threats (13% vs 7.3%) and no reliable transportation (15.5% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 29.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in El Centro
50% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 15.9% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
El Centro is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, El Centro is healthier than 23%. Against the 6,812 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$66K), it’s healthier than 46%. 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 El Centro’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind El Centro’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, El Centro is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns, #704 of 847 in California. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 69% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 3%).
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 Centro’s median household income is $53,082; among the 6,812 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$66K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Where El Centro compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.3% (U.S. 7.9%).
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
1.5 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
29.1% of El Centro adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Keeping up with care
Share of El Centro adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Out of every 100 El Centro adults…
El Centro runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near El Centro
1 hospital and 1 community health center in El Centro, 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 Centro; ≈ 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 El Centro adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
2 in 5 El Centro 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.
El Centro and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of El Centro adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for El Centro
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, El Centro is better than California on 1 and worse on 17; on the rest, the California figure falls inside El Centro’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | El Centro | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 33.1%30–36.7 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%15.8–19.8 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16.1–20.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35%28–42.6 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.8%14–17.8 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34%30.2–38 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%31.8–40.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.9%19.3–24.7 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.4–10.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.3%4.7–5.8 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.9%6.3–7.7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6%5.3–6.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.9%13.1–19.1 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.8%11.1–14.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35.9%31.3–41.1 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.4–18.1 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.7%34–47.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 21.5%18.9–24.2 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.1%65.8–73.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50%46.3–53.7 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.1%80–84.1 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.6%68.4–74.5 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 52.6%47–58 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.7%61.9–78.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.3%17.3–23.7 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.9%32.8–43.3 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.3%26.3–34.5 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31.4%27.9–35.2 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 24.8%22–27.9 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13%11.4–14.7 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.5%13.8–17.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 29.1%26–32.5 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.5%35.2–44.2 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.2%18.1–22.7 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.6%17.6–21.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.4%6.6–8.2 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.6%9.7–11.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.4%10.2–12.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.5%6–7.2 | 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 Centro
Is El Centro a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, El Centro is healthier than 22% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #704 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 46%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in El Centro?
CDC estimates 35% of adults have obesity, likely between 28% and 42.6%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to El Centro?
El Centro Regional Medical Center in El Centro, 0.6 miles in a straight line from El Centro’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in El Centro have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 21.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 18.9–24.2%), 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 Centro 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 El Centro.
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.