Photo: Patrick Pelster · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Indian Wells is healthier than 6%
Indian Wells differs from California on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Indian Wells. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Indian Wells
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Indian Wells
1 in 6 adults have had cancer (17.8%), 3 times the California rate. 43.6% of adults have arthritis, vs 20.8% across California (about twice the California rate). Heart disease is also above the state: 11.5%, vs 5.6% across California. In all, Indian Wells runs above California on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 57% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Indian Wells, and more people treating it
49.5% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 84.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Indian Wells’ lead shrinks
Indian Wells is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, but 6% of the 1,984 towns with similar household incomes ($122K–$204K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Indian Wells keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (85.5% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (73% vs 62.8%). Checkups ↓
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 Indian Wells’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
What’s behind Indian Wells’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Indian Wells is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns, #384 of 847 in California. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than almost every U.S. town); diabetes pulls it down (better than 16%).
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). Indian Wells’ median household income is $162,990; among the 1,984 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($122K–$204K), it’s healthier than 6%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Indian Wells adults…
Indian Wells runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Indian Wells is an older town: 57% 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 Indian Wells as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Indian Wells adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Indian Wells
No hospital or community health center in Indian Wells 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 Indian Wells; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
57 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Indian Wells adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Indian Wells does better than California.
3 in 10 Indian Wells 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.
6.5% of Indian Wells adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Indian Wells and the towns around it
Indian Wells has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Wells | B+ | 30.3% | 14.9% | 7.7% | CDC place |
| Palm Desert | B | 33.5% | 13.4% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| La Quinta | B | 34.7% | 13.2% | 10.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Indian Wells adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Indian Wells
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Indian Wells is better than California on 17 and worse on 8; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Indian Wells’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Indian Wells | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20%17.5–22.8 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.4–17.1 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 11%9.8–12.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.3%26.6–34.3 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.9%13–16.9 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 49.5%46–53 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 50.4%46.9–54 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 43.6%40.2–47 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.3–10.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 17.8%16.3–19.5 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 11.5%10.3–12.9 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.4%7.2–9.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.5%6.1–9.2 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.7%6.4–9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 22.4%19.3–25.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 8.3%7–9.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.5%26–33.3 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.9%3.3–4.7 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 85.5%83.6–87.3 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73%70.3–75.5 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 95.1%94.5–95.7 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84.9%82.5–87.3 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.3%70.5–77.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.3%74.9–85.2 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.8%17.4–22.4 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.1%24.9–31.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.5%16.2–21.1 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.9%5.8–8.2 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.1%4.4–6 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3%2.6–3.5 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.1%3.6–4.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.5%5.4–7.8 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.5%33.9–41.2 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 21%18.5–23.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.9%8.6–11.2 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 12.1%10.8–13.5 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.3–5.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7–9.2 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.5–4.5 | 3.9% | 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 Indian Wells
Is Indian Wells a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Indian Wells is healthier than 67% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #384 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 Indian Wells?
CDC estimates 30.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.6% and 34.3%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Indian Wells?
John F Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio, 5.5 miles in a straight line from Indian Wells’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Indian Wells have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.3–4.7%), 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 Indian Wells 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 Indian Wells.
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.