Pioneer Deep Space Station · Photo: NASA · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Fort Irwin is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns
Fort Irwin differs from California on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Irwin. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Irwin
Binge drinking is the habit Fort Irwin doesn’t win on
23.4% of adults binge drink, vs 15.3% across California, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Mental distress runs high in Fort Irwin
1 in 4 adults are in frequent mental distress (22.6%), vs 16.4% across California. Depression is above the state too: 23.9%, vs 20.1% across California. Mind & connection ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Fort Irwin
Fort Irwin runs below California on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (1.7% vs 6.4%), heart disease (1.5% vs 5.6%) and diabetes (3.5% vs 11.7%). A young population is part of it: only 0% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%). Conditions ↓
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 Fort Irwin’s likely range.
What’s behind Fort Irwin’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Irwin is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns, #237 of 847 in California. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Fort Irwin’s median household income is $76,107; among the 10,824 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$95K), it’s healthier than 94%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
21 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Fort Irwin adults…
Fort Irwin runs below CA on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 0% of Fort Irwin residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
How Fort Irwin adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Fort Irwin runs above California.
4 in 10 Fort Irwin 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.
Care in and near Fort Irwin
1 hospital in Fort Irwin, 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 Fort Irwin; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Irwin 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.
16.6% of Fort Irwin adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Fort Irwin and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Irwin | A− | 28.8% | 3.5% | 10.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fort Irwin adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Irwin
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Irwin is better than California on 11 and worse on 11; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Fort Irwin’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Irwin | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16%13.8–18.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.2%8–10.5 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.6%20–25.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.8%24.8–33 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 3.5%3–4 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 16.5%14.4–18.6 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 18.6%16.3–20.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 8.3%7.2–9.5 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 1.7%1.5–1.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 1.5%1.4–1.7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 2.3%2–2.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 1%0.9–1.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.6%9.3–14.3 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.7%8.8–12.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 16.5%13.8–19.5 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 23.4%20.2–26.8 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.9%35.6–44.5 | 35.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.2%7.4–11.3 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 60.4%56.4–64.4 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.8%51.4–58.2 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 73.8%70.7–77 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 36%32.4–39.7 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 41.9%37.5–46.6 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.9%62.9–76.5 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%20.9–26.9 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 43.7%39.3–48.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.4%27.4–35.7 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.4%15.3–21.9 | 17.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.4%13.8–19.1 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.4%7.1–9.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.6%9.9–13.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.6%13.7–19.6 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.7%21.4–28.3 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 4.7%4–5.5 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.2%15.7–20.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 2.5%2.2–2.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.3–4.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.6–8.8 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.9%1.7–2.2 | 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 Fort Irwin
Is Fort Irwin a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Irwin is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #237 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fort Irwin?
CDC estimates 28.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.8% and 33%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
How many people in Fort Irwin have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.4–11.3%), 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 Fort Irwin 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 Fort Irwin.
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.