Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fairfax is healthier than 76%
Fairfax differs from California on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 20 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fairfax. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fairfax
More Fairfax adults get no exercise
37% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Fairfax
47.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 18.1% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Fairfax
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (33.2%), about twice the California rate. Utility shut-off threats (13.1% vs 7.3%) and housing insecurity (26.4% vs 14.9%) are higher too. 29.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Fairfax is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fairfax is healthier than 11%. Against the 604 towns with similar household incomes ($23K–$38K), it’s healthier than 76%. 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 Fairfax’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Fairfax’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairfax is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 42% 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). Fairfax’s median household income is $30,417; among the 604 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($23K–$38K), it’s healthier than 76%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Fairfax compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.8% (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 Fairfax 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.
29.7% of Fairfax adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Out of every 100 Fairfax adults…
Fairfax runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of Fairfax residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Fairfax
No hospital or community health center in Fairfax 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 Fairfax; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Fairfax adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Fairfax runs above California.
2 in 5 Fairfax 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.
Fairfax and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax | D | 37.5% | 15.1% | 15.6% | CDC place |
| Bakersfield | C | 34.5% | 12.4% | 13.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fairfax adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fairfax
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fairfax is better than California on 1 and worse on 20; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Fairfax’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fairfax | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 33.7%29.8–37.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.3–20.7 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.8%18.5–23.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.5%31.9–43.3 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.1%13.2–17 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 31.8%28.4–35.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.1%30.5–37.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.1%18.8–23.6 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.4–12 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.8%4.4–5.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.3–4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.1%14.9–21.7 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.6%13.4–18.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 37%32.3–41.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.6–19.2 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.1%35–45.6 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 22.9%18.8–26.9 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.4%65.4–73.2 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 47.7%44.1–51.5 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.4%77.6–83 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.8%64.2–71 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 47.6%42.7–52.8 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.5%61.5–76.6 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.8%19.7–26 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.4%34.7–44.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32.6%28.5–36.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 33.2%28.5–37.7 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 26.4%22.8–29.9 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 13.1%11.3–14.9 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 16%13.9–18.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 29.7%25.5–33.8 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.2%36.6–45.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20.3%17.9–22.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.8%19.2–24.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.8–7.4 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 10.1%9–11.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12%10.5–13.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.5%5.7–7.2 | 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 Fairfax
Is Fairfax a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairfax is healthier than 11% of U.S. towns: D for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fairfax?
CDC estimates 37.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.9% and 43.3%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fairfax?
Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, 3.0 miles in a straight line from Fairfax’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fairfax have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 22.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 18.8–26.9%), 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 Fairfax 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 Fairfax.
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.