Photo: Fruitianslip · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Oceano is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns
Oceano trails California on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Oceano. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Oceano
COPD, stroke and heart disease run high in Oceano
1 in 14 adults have COPD (7.1%), vs 5.1% across California. 1 in 26 adults have had a stroke (3.8%), vs 3.1% across California. Heart disease is also above the state: 6.8%, vs 5.6% across California. In all, Oceano runs above California on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and COPD, stroke and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Oceano
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (14.1%), vs 10.9% across California. Habits ↓
Oceano 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 French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, 12.4 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 Oceano’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Oceano’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Oceano is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns, #605 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 80% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Oceano’s median household income is $71,598; among the 10,643 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$89K), it’s healthier than 44%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Oceano adults…
Oceano runs above CA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Oceano is an older town: 27% 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 Oceano as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
0.3 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Care in and near Oceano
1 community health center in Oceano, 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 Oceano; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Keeping up with care
Share of Oceano adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Oceano adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
4 in 10 Oceano 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.
19.6% of Oceano adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Oceano and the towns around it
Oceano’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oceano | C+ | 30.9% | 12.4% | 14.1% | CDC place |
| Arroyo Grande | A | 25.5% | 10% | 9.6% | CDC place |
| Grover Beach | B− | 29.1% | 11.3% | 13.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Oceano adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Oceano
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Oceano is better than California on 0 and worse on 12; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Oceano’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Oceano | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.7%22.6–28.8 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.3–18.1 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.3–20.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.9%25.3–36.9 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.4%10.8–14.1 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.5%29.9–37.1 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%31–38.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.6%21.9–27.5 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.7 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.8–8.2 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.1%6.2–8 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.4–4.1 | 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 | 14.1%12–16.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.7%22.6–30.9 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.7%13.1–18.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.6%27.8–39.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.4%11–15.8 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.5%66.6–74.2 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.2%58.6–65.8 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.3%82.3–86.3 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.5%67.3–73.7 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.6%52.2–62.8 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75%67.1–81.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%20–26.6 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.2%31.3–41.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.9%24.1–31.6 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.2%18.1–24.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.2%14.8–19.7 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.1%7.8–10.5 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.9%9.6–12.5 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.6%16.7–22.5 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.4%30.3–38.5 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.7%14.6–18.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.3%15.3–19.4 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.4–8 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Oceano
Is Oceano a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Oceano is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #605 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 44%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Oceano?
CDC estimates 30.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.3% and 36.9%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Oceano?
French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, 12.4 miles in a straight line from Oceano’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Oceano have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11–15.8%), 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 Oceano more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Oceano.
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.