Firebaugh’s CDC health estimates rank near the bottom of U.S. towns
Firebaugh differs from California on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 24 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Firebaugh. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Firebaugh
More Firebaugh adults get no exercise
1 in 2 adults get no exercise outside work (47.8%), about twice the California rate. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Firebaugh
35.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 34.2% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Firebaugh
1 in 2 adults worry about having enough food (50.8%), 3 times the California rate. Utility shut-off threats (20.9% vs 7.3%) and no reliable transportation (24.3% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 49.1% 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 Firebaugh’s likely range.
What’s behind Firebaugh’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Firebaugh is near the bottom of U.S. towns, #841 of 847 in California. All seven of Firebaugh’s estimates fall in the lowest 12% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is fair or poor health: 46.4% of adults, against 22.1% across California and 19.4% nationally.
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). Firebaugh’s median household income is $47,734; among the 4,926 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 2%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Firebaugh compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 4% (U.S. 7.9%).
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
1.4 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Firebaugh 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.
49.1% of Firebaugh adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Out of every 100 Firebaugh adults…
Firebaugh runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Firebaugh residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Firebaugh
1 community health center in Firebaugh, 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 Firebaugh; ≈ 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 Firebaugh adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Firebaugh runs above California.
2 in 5 Firebaugh 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.
Firebaugh and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firebaugh | D− | 46.6% | 18.5% | 19.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Firebaugh adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Firebaugh
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Firebaugh is better than California on 1 and worse on 24; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Firebaugh’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Firebaugh | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 46.4%42.2–50.8 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.2%19.9–24.7 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.4%20.1–24.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 46.6%40.8–52.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 18.5%16.5–20.6 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.9%31.5–38.5 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.2%30.8–37.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.3%19.9–25 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.4–11.9 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4%3.6–4.5 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.2–8.9 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.2%7.3–9.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.2–5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 34.2%29.5–39.5 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.6%17–22.4 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 47.8%43–52.8 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.1%10.9–15.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.3%34.4–44.4 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 32.5%28.1–36.8 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 66.9%62.8–70.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 35.4%32.4–38.6 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 74.3%71.5–77 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.1%66.1–72 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 40.1%35.3–45 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 62.6%54.2–70.4 | 75.7% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.8–26.1 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 41.5%36.9–46.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 33.5%29.8–37.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 50.8%45.9–55.7 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 36.9%33.1–41 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 20.9%18.5–23.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 24.3%21.6–27.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 49.1%44.6–53.7 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 50.9%46.3–55.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 26.2%23.6–29.1 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 27%24.2–30.2 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.5–9.4 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 16.2%14.7–17.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 16.7%14.9–18.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 9.9%8.9–11 | 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 Firebaugh
Is Firebaugh a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Firebaugh is near the bottom of U.S. towns: D− for health, #841 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 2%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Firebaugh?
CDC estimates 46.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 40.8% and 52.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Firebaugh?
Madera Community Hospital in Madera, 23.5 miles in a straight line from Firebaugh’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Firebaugh have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 32.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 28.1–36.8%), 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 Firebaugh more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Firebaugh.
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.