Photo: Aaron Guzman · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Riverside is healthier than 28%
Riverside differs from California on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Riverside. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Riverside
Making ends meet is harder in Riverside
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (22.9%), vs 17.9% across California. Utility shut-off threats (9.7% vs 7.3%) and housing insecurity (19.5% vs 14.9%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Depression is more common in Riverside
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (22.7%), vs 20.1% across California. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.5%, vs 16.4% across California. Mind & connection ↓
Riverside trails towns with similar incomes
Riverside is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, and only 28% of the 9,844 towns with similar household incomes ($68K–$114K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Health varies a lot right around Riverside
Grades next door run from El Sobrante (A−) to March ARB (D). Riverside is a C+. Around town ↓
Riverside has three hospitals within its borders
3 hospitals and 6 community health centers are inside Riverside. Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Riverside is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. 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 Riverside’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Riverside’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Riverside is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns, #569 of 847 in California. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 79% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Riverside’s median household income is $91,045; among the 9,844 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($68K–$114K), it’s healthier than 28%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Where Riverside compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.3% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 323,057 residents, Riverside 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.
19.2% of Riverside adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
How Riverside adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Riverside runs above California.
2 in 5 Riverside 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.
Care in and near Riverside
3 hospitals and 6 community health centers in Riverside, 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 Riverside; ≈ 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).
Riverside and the towns around it
Riverside’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside | C+ | 36.7% | 11.2% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| El Sobrante | A− | 32.5% | 11.2% | 9.6% | CDC place |
| Highgrove | B− | 36.4% | 10.8% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Norco | B− | 36.6% | 11.1% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| Moreno Valley | C | 39.6% | 12.6% | 12.5% | CDC place |
| Woodcrest | B | 34.8% | 11.7% | 10.6% | CDC place |
| March ARB | D | 39% | 22.7% | 16.3% | CDC place |
| Jurupa Valley | C | 38.5% | 12.8% | 12.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Riverside adults…
Riverside runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Riverside residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
162 miles of trails across 58 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Riverside adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Riverside adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Riverside
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Riverside is better than California on 1 and worse on 13; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Riverside’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Riverside | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.5%22.4–26.8 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.4%13–15.9 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.7–20.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.7%32.8–40.9 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.2%10–12.5 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.2%27.8–32.9 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%31.6–37.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.2%19.3–23.2 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.7–10.8 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.3%4.8–5.8 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.7–3.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.4%9.3–13.8 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.5%10.2–13 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.3%24.5–30.4 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.2%13–17.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.4%35.3–43.7 | 35.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.6%12.2–15.2 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 70%66.9–73.1 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.3%56.1–62.4 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.4%80.6–84.2 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.2%64.4–69.9 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.1%53.8–62.4 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79%73.1–84.1 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%20.2–25.4 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 38.2%34.7–41.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.6%25.7–31.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.9%20.8–25.4 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.5%17.6–21.8 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.7%8.6–10.9 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.8%10.7–13.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.2%17.3–21.4 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.6%31.6–37.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.7%13.2–16.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.3%15.8–19 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.6%5–6.2 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%6–7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%8.5–10.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.8–4.4 | 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 Riverside
Is Riverside a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Riverside is healthier than 44% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #569 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 Riverside?
CDC estimates 36.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.8% and 40.9%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Riverside?
Riverside Community Hospital in Riverside, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Riverside’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Riverside have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.2–15.2%), 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 Riverside 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 Riverside.
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.