Photo: NHRHS2010 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Los Alamos is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns
Los Alamos differs from California on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Los Alamos. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Los Alamos
Cancer runs high in Los Alamos
1 in 13 adults have had cancer (7.5%), vs 6.4% across California. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Los Alamos has a community health center but no hospital
Community Health Centers of the Central Coast is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Lompoc Valley Medical Center in Lompoc, 11.8 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 Los Alamos’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Los Alamos’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Los Alamos is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 92% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 48%).
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). Los Alamos’ median household income is $79,167; among the 10,791 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$99K), it’s healthier than 88%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Los Alamos adults…
Los Alamos runs above CA on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Los Alamos is an older town: 38% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Los Alamos as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Los Alamos
1 community health center in Los Alamos, 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 Los Alamos; ≈ 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.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Los Alamos adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Los Alamos adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Los Alamos does better than California.
1 in 3 Los Alamos 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.
11.5% of Los Alamos adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Los Alamos and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Alamos | A− | 26.8% | 10.4% | 10% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Los Alamos adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Los Alamos
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Los Alamos is better than California on 5 and worse on 1; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Los Alamos’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Los Alamos | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.7%16.7–23 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.4–15.3 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%13.8–18.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.8%21.5–32.9 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%8.9–12.1 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.8%27.3–34.7 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.7%29.9–37.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23%20.2–26.1 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.4–10.9 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.7–8.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%4.8–6.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.1%4.2–6.1 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.2%8.2–12.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10%8–12.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.5%17.7–25.7 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.3%14.4–20.5 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.1%25.8–36.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.9%7.6–12.8 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.1%68.2–75.8 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.9%64.5–71 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.2%85.3–89.1 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.8%67.1–74.3 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.3%61.3–71 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.5%63.5–78.6 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.3%18.1–24.7 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34%29.4–39.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.1%20.7–28.1 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.9%11.1–16.9 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.7%10.4–15.1 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.4%5.3–7.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.7%6.4–9.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.5%9.2–14.1 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.6%25.3–34.2 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.2%11.1–15.6 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%11.7–15.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.3–6.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.2–5.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.2–8.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3–4.1 | 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 Los Alamos
Is Los Alamos a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Los Alamos is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 88%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Los Alamos?
CDC estimates 26.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.5% and 32.9%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Los Alamos?
Lompoc Valley Medical Center in Lompoc, 11.8 miles in a straight line from Los Alamos’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Los Alamos have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–12.8%), 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 Los Alamos 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 Los Alamos.
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.