Photo: Dicklyon · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Richmond is healthier than 24%
Richmond differs from California on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Richmond. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Richmond
Making ends meet is harder in Richmond
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.6%), vs 17.9% across California. Utility shut-off threats (10.5% vs 7.3%) and no reliable transportation (12.4% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 21.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Richmond trails towns with similar incomes
Richmond is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, and only 24% of the 9,240 towns with similar household incomes ($72K–$119K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
More Richmond adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (29.8%), vs 24.6% across California. There are 66 miles of trails across 51 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Health varies a lot right around Richmond
Grades next door run from Kensington (A+) to North Richmond (C−). Richmond is a C+. Around town ↓
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 Richmond’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Richmond’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Richmond is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, #572 of 847 in California. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 76% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Richmond’s median household income is $95,391; among the 9,240 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($72K–$119K), it’s healthier than 24%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where Richmond compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.1% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 114,861 residents, Richmond 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.
21.6% of Richmond adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
66 miles of trails across 51 parks and preserves
Richmond and the towns around it
Richmond’s Health Grade ranks 10th of 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | C+ | 32.9% | 12.9% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| El Sobrante | B+ | 29.2% | 11.5% | 9.8% | CDC place |
| El Cerrito | A | 24.4% | 10.1% | 7.3% | CDC place |
| East Richmond Heights | A | 26.8% | 10.5% | 7.5% | CDC place |
| North Richmond | C− | 36.1% | 13.1% | 13.7% | CDC place |
| Kensington | A+ | 23.7% | 9.2% | 5.2% | CDC place |
| Montalvin Manor | C+ | 32.4% | 13.7% | 10.6% | CDC place |
| Tara Hills | B+ | 28.9% | 11.6% | 9.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Richmond adults…
Richmond runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Richmond
3 community health centers in Richmond, 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 Richmond; ≈ 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 Richmond adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Richmond adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
2 in 5 Richmond 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Richmond adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Richmond
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Richmond is better than California on 1 and worse on 9; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Richmond’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Richmond | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.8%22.4–27.3 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.6–15.7 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%16–19.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.9%28–37.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11.3–14.4 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.8%28.7–34.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.2%30.8–37.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.4%18.1–22.6 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.3 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.1%9.9–14.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%10.4–13.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.8%26.3–33.5 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.5–17.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.1%34.3–44 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.9%12.3–15.7 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.2%66.5–73.6 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.9%55.6–62.1 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.9%82–85.6 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.2%67–73.2 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.2%54.6–63.6 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.1%68.2–81.1 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.4%16.8–22.2 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.4%34.3–42.7 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.4%26–33 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.6%21.1–26.3 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.7%17.6–22.1 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.5%9.2–11.9 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.4%11.1–13.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.6%19.5–24 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.8%28.4–35.2 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.6%13–16.3 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%14.4–17.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.3%4.8–6 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.3–7.4 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%8.5–10.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.3–5 | 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 Richmond
Is Richmond a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Richmond is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #572 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 Richmond?
CDC estimates 32.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 28% and 37.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Richmond?
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates Camp in Berkeley, 8.4 miles in a straight line from Richmond’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Richmond have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.3–15.7%), 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 Richmond 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 Richmond.
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.