Photo: Pi.1415926535 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Foster City is among the healthiest U.S. towns
Foster City beats California on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Foster City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Foster City
COPD and obesity are less common in Foster City
Foster City runs below California on eight chronic conditions, most of all COPD (2.9% vs 5.1%), obesity (17.8% vs 27.8%) and stroke (2.1% vs 3.1%). Conditions ↓
Foster City is an active town
Only 16% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Few Foster City adults smoke
5.8% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 10.9% across California. Habits ↓
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 Foster City’s likely range.
What’s behind Foster City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Foster City is among the healthiest U.S. towns, #6 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 93%.
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). Foster City’s median household income is $199,143; among the 964 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($149K–$249K), it’s healthier than 92%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Foster City adults…
Foster City runs below CA on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
9 miles of trails across 25 parks and preserves
Care in and near Foster City
No hospital or community health center in Foster City 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 Foster City; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Foster City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Foster City adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Foster City does better than California.
1 in 3 Foster City 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.
5% of Foster City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Foster City and the towns around it
Foster City has the best Health Grade of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foster City | A+ | 17.8% | 8.7% | 5.8% | CDC place |
| San Mateo | A | 23% | 9.4% | 8.3% | CDC place |
| Redwood City | A | 24.7% | 8.8% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Belmont | A+ | 21.3% | 8.6% | 6.9% | CDC place |
| Hayward | B+ | 24.9% | 11.7% | 10.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Foster City adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Foster City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Foster City is better than California on 24 and worse on 0; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Foster City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Foster City | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.3%10.6–13.9 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.4%7.3–9.5 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.2%9.9–12.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 17.8%13.9–21.7 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.7%7.5–10 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 26.2%22.9–29.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.4%32.4–40.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 17.6%15.3–19.8 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 7.7%6.7–8.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%5.9–7.2 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.2%3.7–4.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 2.9%2.5–3.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.1%2–2.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.6%3.6–5.8 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 5.8%4.9–6.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16%13.2–18.7 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11.3–16 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.9%22.4–31.6 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.6%3.1–4.3 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.4%68.4–75.7 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.4%70.4–76.4 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.7%88.3–90.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.5%68.9–75.4 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.1%59.5–68.4 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.9%73.7–85.4 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.3%13.7–18.7 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 33.2%28.9–37.7 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.3%22–28.7 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.6%6.3–9 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.2%5.2–7.2 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.1%2.6–3.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.4%3.8–4.9 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5%4.2–6 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 18.9%16.2–21.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8%6.8–9.1 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.1%7.1–9 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 2.7%2.5–3 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.2%3.8–4.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.8%1.7–2 | 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 Foster City
Is Foster City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Foster City is among the healthiest U.S. towns: A+ for health, #6 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 92%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Foster City?
CDC estimates 17.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 13.9% and 21.7%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Foster City?
San Mateo Medical Center in San Mateo, 3.6 miles in a straight line from Foster City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Foster City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.1–4.3%), 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 Foster City more than anything measured there. Even at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade stays A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Foster City.
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.