On CDC estimates, Palmdale as a whole is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns
Palmdale differs from California on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Palmdale. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Palmdale
Making ends meet is harder in Palmdale
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (27.6%), vs 17.9% across California. Housing insecurity (23.2% vs 14.9%) and no reliable transportation (13.4% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 24.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Palmdale adults lack emotional support
1 in 3 adults lack social or emotional support (33.7%), vs 28.6% across California. Loneliness is above the state too: 43.2%, vs 37.3% across California. Mind & connection ↓
Palmdale is behind on routine checkups
It trails California on three of five routine checkups and screenings: dentist visits (56.1% vs 62.8%), cholesterol checks (82.3% vs 85.4%) and colon screening (52.6% vs 57.5%). 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 Palmdale’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B−.
What’s behind Palmdale’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmdale is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns, #620 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 82% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Palmdale’s median household income is $81,770; among the 10,642 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$102K), it’s healthier than 27%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Palmdale compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.8% (U.S. 7.9%); coronary heart disease, 5.1% (U.S. 6.4%).
At 161,845 residents, Palmdale is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
24.9% of Palmdale adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
How Palmdale adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Palmdale runs above California.
4 in 10 Palmdale 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Palmdale adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Out of every 100 Palmdale adults…
Palmdale runs below CA on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Palmdale residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Palmdale
1 hospital and 4 community health centers in Palmdale, 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 Palmdale; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
189 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves
Palmdale and the towns around it
Palmdale’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmdale | C+ | 30.3% | 12.8% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Leona Valley | A− | 24.8% | 10.7% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Sun Village | C− | 32.5% | 15.4% | 15.6% | CDC place |
| Littlerock | C− | 32.6% | 14.5% | 16.3% | CDC place |
| Lancaster | C+ | 30.6% | 12.6% | 14% | CDC place |
| Acton | B+ | 26.4% | 11.3% | 11.6% | CDC place |
| Quartz Hill | B+ | 26.7% | 10.3% | 11.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Palmdale adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Palmdale
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Palmdale is better than California on 2 and worse on 16; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Palmdale’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Palmdale | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.2%26.4–30.2 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%14.6–17.2 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.6%17.1–20.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.3%27.3–33.2 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11.7–14 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.7%27.7–31.7 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.1%32.9–37.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19.2%17.7–20.8 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%9–10.9 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.8%4.4–5.2 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.6–5.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3.1–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12%9.9–14.1 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.1%11.8–14.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.5%27.1–31.9 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%14.1–17.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.4%35.4–41.2 | 35.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.7%14.2–17.3 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.9%67.4–72.2 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.1%53.5–58.5 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.3%80.7–83.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69%66.6–71.4 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 52.6%49.1–55.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.4%69.2–78.8 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.5%18.6–22.5 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 43.2%40.6–46.1 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 33.7%31.4–36.5 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 27.6%25.6–29.8 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 23.2%21.4–25.4 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.5%9.4–11.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.4%12.3–14.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.9%22.9–27.1 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.1%32.8–37.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16%14.8–17.4 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.7%17.2–20.3 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.9–6 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.8%7.3–8.4 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.3%9.5–11.2 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%5–5.7 | 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 Palmdale
Is Palmdale a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palmdale is healthier than 36% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #620 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 27%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Palmdale?
CDC estimates 30.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.3% and 33.2%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Palmdale?
Palmdale Regional Medical Center in Palmdale, 4.8 miles in a straight line from Palmdale’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Palmdale have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.2–17.3%), 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 Palmdale 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 Palmdale.
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.