Photo: ERobson at English Wikipedia · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Fairfax is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Fairfax differs from California on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fairfax. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fairfax
Cancer and arthritis run high in Fairfax
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.6%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have arthritis (26.4%), vs 20.8% across California. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Fairfax’s lead shrinks
Fairfax is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, but 67% of the 3,432 towns with similar household incomes ($106K–$177K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Fairfax is an active town
Only 16.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Fairfax keeps up with checkups
It beats California on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (73.8% vs 62.8%) and cholesterol checks (90.7% vs 85.4%). 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 Fairfax’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Fairfax’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairfax is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns, #132 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 98% of towns); the weakest is fair or poor health, still better than 78%.
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 $141,653; among the 3,432 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($106K–$177K), it’s healthier than 67%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Fairfax adults…
Fairfax runs below CA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
7.5 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fairfax adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
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 2 of 4 measures, Fairfax does better than California.
3 in 10 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.6% of Fairfax adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Fairfax and the towns around it
Fairfax’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax | A | 22.4% | 10% | 8.7% | CDC place |
| Sleepy Hollow | A+ | 19.8% | 9.2% | 6.4% | CDC place |
| San Anselmo | A+ | 20.7% | 8.6% | 7.1% | 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%). Walking or climbing stairs 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 16 and worse on 2; 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 | 15.9%13.5–18.8 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.5–14.1 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.6–16.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22.4%17–28.5 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10%8.5–11.6 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.6%28.6–36.7 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.5%33.2–42 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.4%23.2–29.9 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.3 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.6–11.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.4–7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.4%4.4–6.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.7%3.7–5.9 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.7%6.9–10.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.9%13.7–20.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16%13.3–19.1 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.7%24.2–35.1 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.2%3.4–5.2 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.9%71–78.4 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.8%70.6–76.6 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.7%89.4–91.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.7%72.1–78.9 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.8%63.9–73.2 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.2%73.2–85.5 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.3%19–26 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.3%23.9–32.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.1%17–23.4 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.9%6.3–9.9 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.5%6.1–9 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.4%3.7–5.2 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.2%4.4–6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.6%5.9–9.6 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.4%22.5–30.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.1%10.2–14.3 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.9%9.4–12.7 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.4–7.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–4.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.2%5.3–7.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.6–3.6 | 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 Fairfax
Is Fairfax a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairfax is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns: A for health, #132 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 67%. 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 22.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 17% and 28.5%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fairfax?
Kaiser Foundation Hospital in San Rafael, 2.5 miles in a straight line from Fairfax’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fairfax have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.4–5.2%), 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 Fairfax 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 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.