Photo: Dirk Hansen · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, San Diego as a whole is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
San Diego differs from California on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for San Diego. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in San Diego
San Diego has nine hospitals within its borders
9 hospitals and 9 community health centers are inside San Diego. UC San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Medical Center is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room, one of three five-star hospitals in town. Getting care ↓
Diabetes and heart disease are less common in San Diego
San Diego runs below California on four chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (9.2% vs 11.7%), heart disease (4.5% vs 5.6%) and COPD (4.1% vs 5.1%). Conditions ↓
San Diego is an active town
Only 19.8% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 725 miles of trails across 304 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
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 San Diego’s likely range.
What’s behind San Diego’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, San Diego is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #184 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 96% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 60%.
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). San Diego’s median household income is $108,077; among the 7,443 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($81K–$135K), it’s healthier than 80%, about where its income would put it.
At 1,406,106 residents, San Diego is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Care in and near San Diego
9 hospitals and 9 community health centers in San Diego.
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 San Diego; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 San Diego adults…
San Diego runs below CA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
725 miles of trails across 304 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of San Diego adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How San Diego adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
4 in 10 San Diego 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.
14.4% of San Diego adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
San Diego and the towns around it
San Diego’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | A | 24.2% | 9.2% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| Poway | A | 23% | 9.3% | 8.6% | CDC place |
| Santee | A− | 26.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Escondido | B− | 28.1% | 11.3% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| Lemon Grove | B | 28.6% | 11.9% | 11.7% | CDC place |
| La Mesa | A− | 26.3% | 9.4% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Coronado | A+ | 21.9% | 7.5% | 6.8% | CDC place |
| National City | C+ | 28% | 14% | 11.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of San Diego adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for San Diego
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, San Diego is better than California on 16 and worse on 1; on the rest, the California figure falls inside San Diego’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | San Diego | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.9%16.4–19.7 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.2%10.2–12.5 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%15.1–18.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.2%21.4–27.7 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.2%8.3–10.4 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 26.8%24.7–29.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32%29.6–34.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 17.8%16.2–19.6 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.9%8–10 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.2%5.7–6.8 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.5%4.1–5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.4–2.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.7%7.1–10.4 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.3%8.3–10.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.8%17.7–22.2 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%14.8–19.3 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.5%31–37.9 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.5%7.6–9.6 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 72%69.4–74.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.6%61.8–67.2 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84.6%83.1–86.2 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 66.4%63.6–69.4 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 62%58–65.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.2%71.3–82.2 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%19–23.7 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.6%33.4–39.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.5%25.8–31.5 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.8%14.2–17.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.6%12.1–15.2 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.9–7.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.8%7.9–9.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.4%13.1–16 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.6%23.4–28.1 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.6%9.6–11.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.8%12.6–15.2 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.8%4.4–5.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.2%6.6–7.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.9–3.4 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 San Diego
Is San Diego a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, San Diego is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #184 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 80%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in San Diego?
CDC estimates 24.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.4% and 27.7%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to San Diego?
Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, 2.9 miles in a straight line from San Diego’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in San Diego have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–9.6%), 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 San Diego more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in San Diego.
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.