Howell House · Photo: Anechka2003 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Escondido as a whole is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns
Escondido trails California on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Escondido. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Escondido
Every town around Escondido scores healthier
All three graded neighbors are ahead of Escondido’s B−, from San Marcos (A−) to San Diego (A). Around town ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Escondido
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (22.5%), vs 17.9% across California. Housing insecurity (18.9% vs 14.9%) and no reliable transportation (11.5% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 21.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
1 in 7 working-age adults in Escondido has no health insurance
14.1% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 10.6% across California. Checkups ↓
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 Escondido’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
What’s behind Escondido’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Escondido is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns, #482 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 89% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 19%).
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). Escondido’s median household income is $91,967; among the 9,724 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($69K–$115K), it’s healthier than 41%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
At 146,030 residents, Escondido is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Escondido and the towns around it
Escondido’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escondido | B− | 28.1% | 11.3% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| San Diego | A | 24.2% | 9.2% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| San Marcos | A− | 25.3% | 9.5% | 9.9% | CDC place |
| Harmony Grove | A | 24.2% | 8.1% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Del Dios | — | — | — | — |
Del Dios: fewer than 1,000 residents. 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.
21.1% of Escondido adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Keeping up with care
Share of Escondido adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Out of every 100 Escondido adults…
On every condition, Escondido is about the same as California. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Escondido
1 hospital and 5 community health centers in Escondido, 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 Escondido; ≈ 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.
53 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
How Escondido adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
2 in 5 Escondido 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 Escondido adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Escondido
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Escondido is better than California on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Escondido’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Escondido | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.1%22.1–26.5 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.9–15.8 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16.4–19.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.1%24.9–31.9 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.3%10.1–12.7 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.7%27.4–32.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.8%31.3–36.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.3%18.5–22.3 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.4–10.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.5%6–7.1 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.2–6.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.6%5.1–6.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%3–3.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.9%9.8–14.2 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.2%10.8–13.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.7%23.1–28.7 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%14.2–18.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36%32.4–39.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.1%12.7–15.9 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.3%68.6–74.2 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.1%55.2–60.9 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.3%81.7–85 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.5%64.6–70.4 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.4%54.3–62.2 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.5%68.3–80 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.9%19.7–24.6 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.8%34.5–41.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.4%27.6–33.5 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.5%20.3–24.8 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.9%17–21 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9%8–10.3 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.5%10.4–12.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.1%19.1–23.3 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.5%28.9–34.5 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.4%13.1–16 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17%15.4–18.7 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.4–6.7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6.3–7.3 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8.5–10.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.1–4.9 | 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 Escondido
Is Escondido a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Escondido is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #482 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 41%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Escondido?
CDC estimates 28.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.9% and 31.9%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Escondido?
Palomar Health Downtown Campus in Escondido, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Escondido’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Escondido have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.7–15.9%), 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 Escondido 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 Escondido.
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.