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Old City Hall, 7410 Monterey St., Gilroy, CA 9-23-2012 3-25-51 PMPhoto: Sanfranman59 · CC BY-SA 3.0
≈ B+Health Grade
Health in Gilroy · CDC PLACES 2025

Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Gilroy is healthier than 18%

Gilroy differs from California on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 1 worse.

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Gilroy

Against towns with similar incomes, Gilroy’s lead shrinks

Gilroy is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, but 18% of the 4,251 towns with similar household incomes ($100K–$166K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓

Gilroy has a community health center but no hospital

Gardner South County Health Ctr is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Watsonville Community Hospital in Watsonville, 12.7 miles away. Getting care ↓

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 Gilroy’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.

Health Grade

What’s behind Gilroy’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gilroy is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, #397 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 87% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 33%).

CSelf-rated health21.6% · CA 22.1% · U.S. 19.4%
B+Physical distress12.9% · CA 13.4% · U.S. 13%
BMental distress16.7% · CA 16.4% · U.S. 15.9%
AObesity29% · CA 27.8% · U.S. 32.9%
BDiabetes11.3% · CA 11.7% · U.S. 12%
A−Smoking10.5% smoke · CA 10.9% · U.S. 11.8%
C+Exercise26.6% · CA 24.6% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 65%
Less healthyHealthier
California towns we grade (847)Healthier than 53%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $100K–$166K (4,251)Healthier than 18%

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). Gilroy’s median household income is $133,107; among the 4,251 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($100K–$166K), it’s healthier than 18%, less than its income alone would suggest.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Gilroy could be anywhere from C+ to A−. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

Getting care

Care in and near Gilroy

3 community health centers in Gilroy, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERWatsonville Community HospitalWatsonville · 12.7 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyWatsonville Community Hospital★★★★★ · 12.7 miDirections →
+Low-cost careGardner South County Health CtrGilroy · 0.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.9 mi
Gardner South County Health Ctr
Gilroy · community health center
Sliding-scale feesIn Gilroy
1.6 mi
County of Santa Clara
2 sites · nearest in Gilroy
Sliding-scale feesIn Gilroy
Directions to nearest
2.3 mi
Bay Area Community Health
3 sites · nearest in Gilroy
Sliding-scale feesIn Gilroy
Directions to nearest
12.7 mi
Watsonville Community Hospital
Watsonville · ★★★★★
ER
20.1 mi
Kaiser Foundation Hospital-San Jose
San Jose · ★★★★★
ER
21.6 mi
Natividad Medical Center
Salinas · ★★★★★
ER
21.7 mi
Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center of Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz · not rated
✓ Primary careGilroy is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careGilroy is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthGilroy 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 Gilroy; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Gilroy adults…

Gilroy runs below CA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

4 of every 100 Gilroy adults have COPD
California: 5 in 100 · better · likely 3.8–4.8%
Better than CAWorseAbout the sameCalifornia
Why age matters in Gilroy

Only 13% of Gilroy residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.

Residents 65 and older

Gilroy13%
California16%
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with California

Share of adults, with the California figure marked.

Get no exercise 26.6%CA 24.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 32.7%CA 35.1%
Binge drink 14.8%CA 15.3%
Smoke cigarettes 10.5%CA 10.9%
0%10%20%30%40%
Gilroy, betterGilroy, worseAbout the sameCalifornia
Where Gilroy gets moving

19 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

69%Yearly checkupCA 72%
64%Dentist visitCA 63%
85%Cholesterol checkCA 85%
59%Colon screeningCA 58%
77%MammogramCA 76%
69%Taking BP medsCA 71%
1 in 8
working-age adults has no health insurance
Gilroy 13% · California 1 in 9 (10.6%)
Mind & connection

How Gilroy adults are doing

About the same as California on each measure.

2 in 5Gilroy adults feel lonely
39.9% · CA 37.3% · About the same as CA
3 in 10Gilroy adults lack social or emotional support
29.1% · CA 28.6% · About the same as CA
1 in 5Gilroy adults have been diagnosed with depression
20.9% · CA 20.1% · About the same as CA
1 in 6Gilroy adults are in frequent mental distress
16.7% · CA 16.4% · About the same as CA
The one neighbors can help with

2 in 5 Gilroy 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.

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

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

1 in 6
Gilroy adults worry about having enough food
17.5% · CA 17.9%
About the same as CA
1 in 6
Gilroy adults worry about keeping their housing
16% · CA 14.9%
About the same as CA
1 in 14
Gilroy adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
7.4% · CA 7.3%
About the same as CA
1 in 11
Gilroy adults lack reliable transportation
9.3% · CA 9.3%
About the same as CA

13.7% of Gilroy adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.

Around town

Gilroy and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
GilroyB+29%11.3%10.5%CDC place

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

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

29.8%

of Gilroy adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs12.7%
Thinking or memory14.6%
Hearing5.4%
Errands alone7.4%
Vision5.5%
Dressing or bathing3.6%
California

Every CDC estimate for Gilroy

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

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Gilroy is better than California on 6 and worse on 1; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Gilroy’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…GilroyCAU.S.vs CA
Overall health
Fair or poor health21.6%19.4–24.122.1%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)12.9%11.5–14.513.4%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)16.7%15–18.616.4%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity29%24.8–33.527.8%32.9%About the same
Diabetes11.3%9.9–12.811.7%12%About the same
High blood pressure27.9%25.1–30.830.5%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)33.2%30.1–36.435.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis18.2%16.2–20.320.8%25.3%Better
Asthma9.2%8.1–10.39.3%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer5.7%5.2–6.36.4%7.9%Better
Coronary heart disease4.8%4.4–5.45.6%6.4%Better
COPD4.3%3.8–4.85.1%6.3%Better
Stroke2.7%2.5–2.93.1%3.4%Better
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)7.6%6.2–9.310.6%12.3%Better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes10.5%9.1–12.110.9%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work26.6%23.3–30.124.6%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking14.8%12.6–17.315.3%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours32.7%29–36.735.1%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)13%11.4–14.810.6%11%Worse
Checkup in the past year69.1%65.6–72.571.9%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year64.4%61.4–67.362.8%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years84.8%83–86.485.4%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)68.6%65.2–71.871.3%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)58.6%54.3–62.857.5%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)76.9%70.5–82.575.7%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression20.9%18.4–23.820.1%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely39.9%35.7–44.137.3%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support29.1%25.7–32.528.6%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food17.5%15.2–19.817.9%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing16%14–18.114.9%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off7.4%6.4–8.47.3%7.6%About the same
Lack reliable transportation9.3%8.2–10.49.3%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)13.7%11.9–15.615.6%11.6%About the same
Disability
Any disability29.8%26.6–33.230.4%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs12.7%11.2–14.313.8%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering14.6%13–16.214.6%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty5.4%4.8–6.15.9%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty5.5%5–65.6%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone7.4%6.7–8.28.1%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.6%3.3–3.93.9%3.8%About the same

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 Gilroy

Is Gilroy a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Gilroy is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #397 of 847 in California. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Gilroy?

CDC estimates 29% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.8% and 33.5%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Gilroy?

Watsonville Community Hospital in Watsonville, 12.7 miles in a straight line from Gilroy’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

How many people in Gilroy have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 13% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.4–14.8%), 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 Gilroy more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A−.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gilroy.

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.