Integratron · Photo: Max Ronnersjö · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Homestead Valley is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Homestead Valley differs from California on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 22 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Homestead Valley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Homestead Valley
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Homestead Valley
1 in 7 adults have COPD (13.8%), more than twice the California rate. 1 in 8 adults have heart disease (12.5%), more than twice the California rate. Stroke is also above the state: 6.6%, vs 3.1% across California. In all, Homestead Valley runs above California on 11 of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 26% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Homestead Valley
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (21%), about twice the California rate. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Homestead Valley, and more people treating it
47.7% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 78% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Homestead Valley is in the bottom 6% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Homestead Valley is healthier than only 6% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓
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 Homestead Valley’s likely range.
What’s behind Homestead Valley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Homestead Valley is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns, #817 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 30% of U.S. towns); physical 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). Homestead Valley’s median household income is $45,323; among the 4,129 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($34K–$57K), it’s healthier than 20%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Homestead Valley compares well: binge drinking, 12.5% (U.S. 15.4%).
Out of every 100 Homestead Valley adults…
Homestead Valley runs above CA on 12 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Homestead Valley is an older town: 26% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Homestead Valley as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
88 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Homestead Valley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Homestead Valley
No hospital or community health center in Homestead Valley 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 Homestead Valley; ≈ 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 Homestead Valley adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Homestead Valley runs above California.
1 in 3 Homestead Valley 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.
31.8% of Homestead Valley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Homestead Valley and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homestead Valley | D | 38.8% | 19% | 21% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Homestead Valley adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Homestead Valley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Homestead Valley is better than California on 3 and worse on 22; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Homestead Valley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Homestead Valley | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 35.2%32–38.5 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.5%19.3–23.7 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.7–21.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.8%34–43.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 19%16.9–21.2 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 47.7%44.3–51 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.4%39.9–46.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 37.9%34.8–40.9 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.4–13.1 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.6–11.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 12.5%11.3–13.7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 13.8%12.3–15.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.6%6–7.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.4%14.4–21 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21%18.5–23.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.8%29.1–36.7 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.5%10.5–14.5 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.9%32.8–41.2 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.8%9.2–12.5 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.3%72.2–78.1 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.8%50.4–57.1 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.9%84.3–87.5 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78%75.1–80.6 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.6%54–63.2 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.9%61.7–75.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24%21.1–27 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 34.6%30.9–38.5 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.6%23.5–29.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 25.8%22.9–29 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.3%15.3–19.4 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.4%10–12.9 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.2%11.8–14.7 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 31.8%28.5–35.4 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.3%39.6–47 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 26%23.3–28.7 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.5%17.6–21.7 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.5%10.3–12.7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.1%9.2–11.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.5%13–16.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 8.4%7.6–9.3 | 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 Homestead Valley
Is Homestead Valley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Homestead Valley is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns: D for health, #817 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 20%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Homestead Valley?
CDC estimates 38.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 34% and 43.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Homestead Valley?
Hi-Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree, 12.4 miles in a straight line from Homestead Valley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Homestead Valley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.2–12.5%), 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 Homestead Valley more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Homestead Valley.
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.