Photo: User:Geographer · CC BY 2.5On CDC estimates, Fullerton as a whole is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns
Fullerton beats California on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fullerton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fullerton
Against towns with similar incomes, Fullerton’s lead shrinks
Fullerton is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, but 56% of the 7,943 towns with similar household incomes ($78K–$130K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Fullerton has a top-rated hospital
Providence St. Jude Medical Center is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Arthritis and COPD are less common in Fullerton
Fullerton runs below California on arthritis (17.3% vs 20.8%) and COPD (4.3% vs 5.1%). 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 Fullerton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Fullerton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fullerton is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, #326 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 97% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 37%).
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). Fullerton’s median household income is $104,286; among the 7,943 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($78K–$130K), it’s healthier than 56%, about where its income would put it.
At 138,675 residents, Fullerton is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near Fullerton
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Fullerton, 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 Fullerton; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Fullerton adults…
Fullerton runs below CA on 6 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.
39 miles of trails across 45 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fullerton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Fullerton adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
4 in 10 Fullerton 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.
14.3% of Fullerton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Fullerton and the towns around it
Fullerton’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fullerton | B+ | 23.9% | 10.9% | 9.2% | CDC place |
| Brea | A | 22.3% | 10.3% | 8% | CDC place |
| Anaheim | B− | 26.8% | 12.2% | 11% | CDC place |
| La Habra | B | 26.5% | 11.7% | 9.4% | CDC place |
| Buena Park | B | 23.6% | 12.3% | 9.8% | CDC place |
| Placentia | A− | 24.2% | 10.9% | 8.8% | CDC place |
| La Mirada | A− | 22.5% | 11.6% | 8.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fullerton adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fullerton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fullerton is better than California on 7 and worse on 0; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Fullerton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fullerton | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.1%19.1–23.2 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%11–13.6 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15.1–18.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 23.9%20.6–27.3 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.7–12.2 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 27.3%24.8–29.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35%32.1–37.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 17.3%15.5–19.1 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9%8–10.1 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.4–6.5 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.5–5.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.3%3.8–4.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–2.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.2%7.5–11.1 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.2%8–10.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 24.6%21.8–27.5 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.9–17.3 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.4%31.7–39.2 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.2%9.1–11.5 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.3%69.3–75.2 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.8%60.9–66.6 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.4%83.8–86.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.4%68.5–74.1 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.4%54.3–62.5 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.7%72.8–83.6 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.1%16.9–21.5 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36%32.4–39.6 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.8%25.8–31.9 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.4%15.5–19.4 | 17.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.1%12.5–15.8 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7%6.1–7.9 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.1%8.1–10.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.3%12.7–15.9 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.1%25.3–30.9 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.1%10.8–13.4 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%12.7–15.5 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.7–5.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.8–5.7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.6 | 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 Fullerton
Is Fullerton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fullerton is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #326 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 56%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fullerton?
CDC estimates 23.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.6% and 27.3%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fullerton?
Providence St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, 0.5 miles in a straight line from Fullerton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fullerton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.1–11.5%), 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 Fullerton 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 Fullerton.
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.