Photo: Kotoviski photographed by Henryk Kotowski · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Imperial Beach is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns
Imperial Beach differs from California on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Imperial Beach. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Imperial Beach
Making ends meet is harder in Imperial Beach
22.4% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 17.9% across California. Housing insecurity (19.2% vs 14.9%) and utility shut-off threats (9.2% vs 7.3%) are higher too. 21.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mental distress runs high in Imperial Beach
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (18.8%), vs 16.4% across California. Depression is above the state too: 22.6%, vs 20.1% across California. Mind & connection ↓
Imperial Beach has a community health center but no hospital
Family Health Centers of San Diego is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center in Chula Vista, 6.5 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 Imperial Beach’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
What’s behind Imperial Beach’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Imperial Beach is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns, #495 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 21%).
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). Imperial Beach’s median household income is $86,111; among the 10,301 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($65K–$108K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
21.3% of Imperial Beach adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
How Imperial Beach adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Imperial Beach runs above California.
2 in 5 Imperial Beach 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 Imperial Beach
2 community health centers in Imperial Beach, 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 Imperial Beach; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Out of every 100 Imperial Beach adults…
Imperial Beach runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Imperial Beach residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
10 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Imperial Beach adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Imperial Beach and the towns around it
Imperial Beach’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial Beach | B− | 29% | 11.1% | 12.7% | CDC place |
| San Diego | A | 24.2% | 9.2% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| Coronado | A+ | 21.9% | 7.5% | 6.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Imperial Beach adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Imperial Beach
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Imperial Beach is better than California on 1 and worse on 11; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Imperial Beach’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Imperial Beach | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.8%21.7–26.4 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.8–15.7 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.8%17.1–20.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29%25.7–32.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%10–12.5 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29%26.8–31.5 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.7%30.2–35.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19.4%17.7–21.4 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.5–10.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.3–6.3 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.9–5.9 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.4%4.9–6.1 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.8%10.6–15.3 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.7%11.2–14.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.4%22.7–28.4 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%15–19.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37%33.4–40.6 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13%11.3–15 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.4%67.7–73.4 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.6%53.6–59.6 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.6%80.8–84.4 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 65.9%63.1–68.9 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57%52.9–60.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.7%67.3–79.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%20.3–25.3 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 38.2%34.8–41.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.8%27.8–34.1 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.4%19.9–25.1 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.2%17–21.5 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.2%8.1–10.5 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.6%10.3–13 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.3%18.9–23.9 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.3%28.6–34.3 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14%12.6–15.6 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.3%15.6–19.2 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.7%5.2–6.4 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%6–7.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%8.4–10.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4–4.8 | 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 Imperial Beach
Is Imperial Beach a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Imperial Beach is healthier than 53% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #495 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 46%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Imperial Beach?
CDC estimates 29% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.7% and 32.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Imperial Beach?
Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center in Chula Vista, 6.5 miles in a straight line from Imperial Beach’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Imperial Beach have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.3–15%), 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 Imperial Beach more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Imperial Beach.
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.