Photo: The original uploader was Tillman at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Malibu is healthier than 34%
Malibu differs from California on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 21 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Malibu. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Malibu
Cancer and arthritis run high in Malibu
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.2%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have arthritis (26.4%), vs 20.8% across California. In all, Malibu runs above California on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 32% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Malibu’s lead shrinks
Malibu is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns, but 34% of the 1,043 towns with similar household incomes ($146K–$243K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Malibu keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (77.7% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (75.2% vs 62.8%). Checkups ↓
Malibu is an active town
Only 15.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 47 miles of trails across 25 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
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 Malibu’s likely range.
What’s behind Malibu’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Malibu is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns, #104 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 98% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 79%.
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). Malibu’s median household income is $194,421; among the 1,043 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($146K–$243K), it’s healthier than 34%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Malibu adults…
Malibu runs below CA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Malibu is an older town: 32% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Malibu as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Malibu adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
47 miles of trails across 25 parks and preserves
Care in and near Malibu
No hospital or community health center in Malibu 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 Malibu; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Malibu adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Malibu does better than California.
1 in 3 Malibu 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 Malibu adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Malibu and the towns around it
Malibu’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malibu | A | 22.8% | 10.1% | 7.6% | CDC place |
| Pepperdine University | A | 13.9% | 1.9% | 4.5% | CDC place |
| Los Angeles | B− | 27.3% | 11.9% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Topanga | A | 23.2% | 9.3% | 8.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Malibu adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Malibu
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Malibu is better than California on 21 and worse on 4; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Malibu’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Malibu | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.2%13.8–16.8 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.9%10.8–13.2 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12.3–14.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22.8%20.2–25.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10.1%9–11.2 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 33%30.8–35.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.8%38.4–43.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 26.4%24.4–28.5 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.6–10.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.2%10.3–12.1 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.1%4.4–5.8 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.4%4.3–6.5 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.6%6.5–8.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.8%14–17.7 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%13.9–17.3 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.4%26.7–31.9 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.2%2.7–3.7 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.7%75.6–79.6 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.2%73.1–77 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.8%89.7–91.7 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%75.1–79.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.3%66.1–72.1 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.8%75.3–83.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%19.2–23.2 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.7%31.2–36.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.4%19.4–23.4 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.9%6–7.9 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.4%5.7–7.3 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.4%2.9–3.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.5%5.6–7.6 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.4%24.1–28.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.2%10.9–13.7 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.5%9.5–11.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%6–7.5 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.4 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Malibu
Is Malibu a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Malibu is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns: A for health, #104 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 Malibu?
CDC estimates 22.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.2% and 25.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Malibu?
Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, 14.5 miles in a straight line from Malibu’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Malibu have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.7–3.7%), 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 Malibu more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Malibu.
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.