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IMGP9332.JPG CA99 NB at Fairmead Madera County California (27231458425)Photo: David Prasad from Welches, OR., United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
D−Health Grade
Health in Fairmead · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Fairmead is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns

Fairmead differs from California on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 22 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fairmead. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Fairmead

More Fairmead adults get no exercise

2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (39.7%), vs 24.6% across California. There are 10 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓

Dental care lags in Fairmead

46.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 22.7% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓

Making ends meet is harder in Fairmead

2 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (40.7%), more than twice the California rate. Utility shut-off threats (18% vs 7.3%) and no reliable transportation (20.3% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 41% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓

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 Fairmead’s likely range.

Health Grade

What’s behind Fairmead’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairmead is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 17% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).

D−Self-rated health39.5% · CA 22.1% · U.S. 19.4%
D−Physical distress20.6% · CA 13.4% · U.S. 13%
D−Mental distress22.1% · CA 16.4% · U.S. 15.9%
DObesity41.6% · CA 27.8% · U.S. 32.9%
DDiabetes17.5% · CA 11.7% · U.S. 12%
C−Smoking18.5% smoke · CA 10.9% · U.S. 11.8%
D−Exercise39.7% · CA 24.6% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 3%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $35K–$58K (4,538)Healthier 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). Fairmead’s median household income is $46,680; among the 4,538 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($35K–$58K), it’s healthier than 9%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.

Where Fairmead compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.3% (U.S. 7.9%).

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Fairmead could be anywhere from D− to C−.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with California

Share of adults, with the California figure marked.

Get no exercise 39.7%CA 24.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 38.8%CA 35.1%
Binge drink 13.9%CA 15.3%
Smoke cigarettes 18.5%CA 10.9%
0%10%20%30%40%
Fairmead, betterFairmead, worseAbout the sameCalifornia
Where Fairmead gets moving

10 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Fairmead adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.

69%Yearly checkupCA 72%
47%Dentist visitCA 63%
79%Cholesterol checkCA 85%
50%Colon screeningCA 58%
69%MammogramCA 76%
71%Taking BP medsCA 71%
1 in 4
working-age adults has no health insurance
Fairmead 23.1% · California 1 in 9 (10.6%)
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

2 in 5
Fairmead adults worry about having enough food
40.7% · CA 17.9%
Worse than CA
3 in 10
Fairmead adults worry about keeping their housing
30.5% · CA 14.9%
Worse than CA
1 in 6
Fairmead adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
18% · CA 7.3%
Worse than CA
1 in 5
Fairmead adults lack reliable transportation
20.3% · CA 9.3%
Worse than CA

41% of Fairmead adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Fairmead adults…

Fairmead runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 9. Tap one to see it as people.

9 of every 100 Fairmead adults have COPD
California: 5 in 100 · worse · likely 7.7–9.9%
Better than CAWorseAbout the sameCalifornia
Why age matters in Fairmead

Only 8% of Fairmead residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.

Residents 65 and older

Fairmead8%
California16%
Getting care

Care in and near Fairmead

No hospital or community health center in Fairmead itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERMadera Community HospitalMadera · 12.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCamarena HealthChowchilla · 4.7 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
4.7 mi
Camarena Health
7 sites · nearest in Chowchilla
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
4.8 mi
Community Health Centers of America-Chowchilla
Chowchilla · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
12.3 mi
Madera Community Hospital
Madera · not rated
ER
23.5 mi
Mercy Medical Center
Merced · ★★★★★
ER
25.2 mi
Valley Children's Hospital
Madera · not rated
ERChildren’s
28 mi
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fresno
Fresno · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careFairmead is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careFairmead is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthFairmead is not a shortage area

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 Fairmead; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Mind & connection

How Fairmead adults are doing

On 1 of 4 measures, Fairmead runs above California.

2 in 5Fairmead adults feel lonely
38.7% · CA 37.3% · About the same as CA
1 in 3Fairmead adults lack social or emotional support
31.4% · CA 28.6% · About the same as CA
1 in 4Fairmead adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.5% · CA 20.1% · About the same as CA
1 in 5Fairmead adults are in frequent mental distress
22.1% · CA 16.4% · Worse than CA
The one neighbors can help with

2 in 5 Fairmead adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Around town

Fairmead and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
FairmeadD−41.6%17.5%18.5%CDC place
ChowchillaD39.6%13.9%18.7%CDC place

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

45.4%

of Fairmead adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs24%
Thinking or memory23.8%
Hearing8.4%
Errands alone15.2%
Vision12.9%
Dressing or bathing8.7%
California

Every CDC estimate for Fairmead

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fairmead is better than California on 1 and worse on 22; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Fairmead’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…FairmeadCAU.S.vs CA
Overall health
Fair or poor health39.5%35.4–4422.1%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)20.6%18.3–23.113.4%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)22.1%19.7–24.616.4%15.9%Worse
Conditions
Obesity41.6%34.2–49.727.8%32.9%Worse
Diabetes17.5%15.3–19.611.7%12%Worse
High blood pressure36.7%32.8–40.830.5%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)35.3%31.4–39.535.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis24.9%22.1–27.920.8%25.3%Worse
Asthma11%9.7–12.59.3%9.9%Worse
Cancer, other than skin cancer5.3%4.8–5.96.4%7.9%Better
Coronary heart disease8.4%7.5–9.25.6%6.4%Worse
COPD8.8%7.7–9.95.1%6.3%Worse
Stroke4.9%4.5–5.43.1%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)22.7%18.8–26.810.6%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes18.5%15.8–21.310.9%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work39.7%34.3–45.224.6%24.7%Worse
Binge drinking13.9%11.4–16.815.3%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours38.8%32.1–45.735.1%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)23.1%18.7–27.610.6%11%Worse
Checkup in the past year69.2%64.7–73.471.9%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year46.5%42.6–50.462.8%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years79%76.3–81.885.4%87.1%Worse
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)70.5%67.3–73.471.3%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)50.3%44.7–55.757.5%65.5%Worse
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)69.1%59.9–77.375.7%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression22.5%19.2–26.120.1%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely38.7%33.5–44.537.3%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support31.4%27.1–36.128.6%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food40.7%35.7–4617.9%15%Worse
Worried about keeping housing30.5%26.9–34.714.9%12%Worse
Threatened with a utility shut-off18%15.7–20.57.3%7.6%Worse
Lack reliable transportation20.3%17.8–23.29.3%7.9%Worse
Received SNAP (food stamps)41%36.4–4615.6%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability45.4%40.3–50.530.4%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs24%21.3–2713.8%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering23.8%21–26.814.6%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty8.4%7.4–9.45.9%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty12.9%11.5–14.45.6%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone15.2%13.4–17.18.1%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing8.7%7.7–9.73.9%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 Fairmead

Is Fairmead a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairmead is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 9%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Fairmead?

CDC estimates 41.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.2% and 49.7%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Fairmead?

Madera Community Hospital in Madera, 12.3 miles in a straight line from Fairmead’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.

How many people in Fairmead have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 23.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 18.7–27.6%), 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 Fairmead 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 Fairmead.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.