U.S. Post Office and Courthouse · Photo: James Knox Taylor · Public domainOn CDC estimates, San Francisco as a whole is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
San Francisco differs from California on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 19 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for San Francisco. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in San Francisco
San Francisco has 11 hospitals within its borders
11 hospitals and 8 community health centers are inside San Francisco. Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Francisco is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Binge drinking is the habit San Francisco doesn’t win on
19.6% of adults binge drink, vs 15.3% across California, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Obesity and COPD are less common in San Francisco
San Francisco runs below California on seven chronic conditions, most of all obesity (17.5% vs 27.8%), COPD (3.9% vs 5.1%) and arthritis (16.7% vs 20.8%). Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, San Francisco’s lead shrinks
San Francisco is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, but 70% of the 3,481 towns with similar household incomes ($106K–$176K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
San Francisco is an active town
Only 19.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 154 miles of trails across 156 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 Francisco’s likely range.
What’s behind San Francisco’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, San Francisco is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #124 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than almost every town); the weakest is fair or poor health, still better than 72%.
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 Francisco’s median household income is $140,970; among the 3,481 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($106K–$176K), it’s healthier than 70%, about where its income would put it.
At 826,079 residents, San Francisco 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 Francisco
11 hospitals and 8 community health centers in San Francisco.
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 Francisco; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
154 miles of trails across 156 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 San Francisco adults…
San Francisco runs below CA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of San Francisco adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How San Francisco adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, San Francisco does better than California.
2 in 5 San Francisco 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.
10.9% of San Francisco adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
San Francisco and the towns around it
San Francisco’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 8 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 Francisco | A | 17.5% | 9.7% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| Daly City | A− | 20% | 12% | 8.7% | CDC place |
| Brisbane | A | 23.2% | 10.4% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Alameda | A | 21.4% | 10% | 8.3% | CDC place |
| Tiburon | A+ | 18.9% | 8.8% | 5.7% | CDC place |
| Richmond | C+ | 32.9% | 12.9% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Berkeley | A | 22.2% | 7.4% | 8% | CDC place |
| Albany | A+ | 20.1% | 7.9% | 6.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of San Francisco adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for San Francisco
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, San Francisco is better than California on 19 and worse on 1; on the rest, the California figure falls inside San Francisco’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | San Francisco | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.8%15.1–18.8 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.4%9.3–11.7 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%13–16.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 17.5%14.1–21.5 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.7%8.5–11 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25.6%22.9–28.7 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.5%30.2–37.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 16.7%14.7–18.9 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.7%7.7–9.8 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5.1–6.2 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.6%4.2–5.1 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9%7.3–10.8 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.1%7.9–10.3 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.1%16.5–22.1 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.6%16.9–22.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.6%28.2–37.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.6%5.8–7.4 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.5%68.1–75 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.8%63.8–69.7 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86%84.5–87.6 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.4%67.4–73.5 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.6%57–66.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%72.4–84.6 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.4%17.8–23.4 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.4%33.9–43 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.9%24.4–31.4 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.3%11.6–15 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.3%8.9–11.7 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.2%6.4–8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.9%9.6–12.2 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.5%21.7–27.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.1%9–11.4 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12%10.8–13.3 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.9–4.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.6–3 | 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 Francisco
Is San Francisco a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, San Francisco is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #124 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 70%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in San Francisco?
CDC estimates 17.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 14.1% and 21.5%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to San Francisco?
California Pacific Medical Center- Van Ness Campus in San Francisco, 0.9 miles in a straight line from San Francisco’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in San Francisco have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–7.4%), 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 Francisco more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in San Francisco.
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.