On CDC estimates, North Fork is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns
North Fork differs from California on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for North Fork. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in North Fork
Cancer, COPD and arthritis run high in North Fork
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.7%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.9%), vs 5.1% across California. Arthritis is also above the state: 32.1%, vs 20.8% across California. In all, North Fork runs above California on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 41% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer, COPD and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
The nearest ER is 29 miles from North Fork
The closest emergency room is Valley Children's Hospital in Madera, 28.9 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Camarena Health is closer (9.7 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
More high blood pressure in North Fork, and more people treating it
38.8% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 77.5% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
North Fork keeps up with checkups
It beats California on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (76.9% vs 71.9%) and cholesterol checks (89.6% vs 85.4%). 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 North Fork’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind North Fork’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Fork is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns, #458 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 78% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 35%).
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). North Fork’s median household income is $71,619; among the 10,647 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$90K), it’s healthier than 71%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 North Fork adults…
North Fork runs above CA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
North Fork is an older town: 41% 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 North Fork as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near North Fork
No hospital or community health center in North Fork 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 North Fork; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of North Fork 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.
12 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How North Fork adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, North Fork does better than California.
1 in 3 North Fork 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 North Fork adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
North Fork and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Fork | B | 31.6% | 12.6% | 12.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of North Fork adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for North Fork
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, North Fork is better than California on 11 and worse on 8; on the rest, the California figure falls inside North Fork’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | North Fork | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.4%18.3–24.7 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.1–17.1 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.6–18.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.6%25–39.1 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.6%10.9–14.5 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.8%34.6–43.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.8%35.5–44.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.1%28.6–35.9 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.4 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.7%10.5–12.8 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.5–9.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.9%6.7–9.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.8–4.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.1%10.5–15.8 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.2%10–14.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.8%18–26.1 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%11.8–17.3 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.9%27.6–40.4 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.8%4.7–7 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.9%73.2–80.3 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.6%58.8–66.1 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.6%88.1–91 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.5%74.4–80.6 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66%60.6–70.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.7%66.6–81.5 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.3%18.9–26 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.7%26.9–36.6 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.1%19.6–26.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.8%9.8–14.1 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.8%8.3–11.5 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.8%4.9–6.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.2%6.2–8.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.5%9.5–13.7 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.5%29–38.2 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.1%14.6–19.7 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%11.9–15.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.7%7.7–9.8 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%7.5–9.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.7–4.8 | 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 North Fork
Is North Fork a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, North Fork is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #458 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 71%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in North Fork?
CDC estimates 31.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 25% and 39.1%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to North Fork?
Clovis Community Medical Center in Clovis, 29.7 miles in a straight line from North Fork’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in North Fork have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.7–7%), 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 North Fork more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in North Fork.
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.