Photo: Raleigh Littles · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Morro Bay is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns
Morro Bay differs from California on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Morro Bay. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Morro Bay
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Morro Bay
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.8%), vs 6.4% across California. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.6%), vs 20.8% across California. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.6%, vs 5.6% across California. In all, Morro Bay runs above California on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 33% 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 Morro Bay, and more people treating it
36.9% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 76.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Morro Bay keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (76.6% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (71.3% 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 Morro Bay’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Morro Bay’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Morro Bay is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns, #241 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 94% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 61%.
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). Morro Bay’s median household income is $95,843; among the 9,179 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$120K), it’s healthier than 81%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Morro Bay adults…
Morro Bay runs above CA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Morro Bay is an older town: 33% 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 Morro Bay as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Morro Bay adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Morro Bay
No hospital or community health center in Morro Bay 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 Morro Bay; ≈ 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.
16 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves
How Morro Bay adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Morro Bay does better than California.
1 in 3 Morro Bay 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.
8.8% of Morro Bay adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Morro Bay and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Morro Bay adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Morro Bay
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Morro Bay is better than California on 15 and worse on 6; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Morro Bay’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Morro Bay | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.1%15.7–20.7 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.9–15.3 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%12.7–16.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.9%20.9–31.5 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.2%9.7–12.9 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.9%33.1–40.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.7%34.7–43 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.6%26.5–32.8 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.2 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.8%10.7–12.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.8–8.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.6%5.7–7.6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11%8.9–13.4 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.6%8–11.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.2%16–22.8 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%11.9–17 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.5%24.3–35.2 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.7%4.7–6.8 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.6%73.2–79.8 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.3%68–74.4 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.3%89.1–91.5 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%73.6–79.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.1%65.3–74.5 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.4%70.3–83.5 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.8%18.8–25.1 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.3%27–36 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%18.9–25.4 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.6%8–11.4 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.1%6.9–9.5 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.6%3.9–5.3 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.8%5–6.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.8%7.3–10.5 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.4%25.7–33.3 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.6%12.7–16.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.9%10.5–13.5 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.4–8.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3.1–4 | 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 Morro Bay
Is Morro Bay a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Morro Bay is healthier than 82% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #241 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 81%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Morro Bay?
CDC estimates 25.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.9% and 31.5%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Morro Bay?
Adventist Health Sierra Vista in San Luis Obispo, 12.2 miles in a straight line from Morro Bay’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Morro Bay have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.7–6.8%), 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 Morro Bay 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 Morro Bay.
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.