Photo: Payton Chung · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, San Jose is healthier than 32%
San Jose beats California on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for San Jose. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in San Jose
Against towns with similar incomes, San Jose’s lead shrinks
San Jose is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, but 32% of the 3,017 towns with similar household incomes ($110K–$183K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
COPD and arthritis are less common in San Jose
San Jose runs below California on five chronic conditions, most of all COPD (3.8% vs 5.1%), arthritis (16.5% vs 20.8%) and heart disease (4.5% vs 5.6%). Conditions ↓
Fewer San Jose adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below California. 1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Jose’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind San Jose’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, San Jose is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #253 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 97% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 57%.
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 Jose’s median household income is $146,427; among the 3,017 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($110K–$183K), it’s healthier than 32%, less than its income alone would suggest.
At 989,814 residents, San Jose is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Out of every 100 San Jose adults…
San Jose runs below CA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.6% of San Jose adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Care in and near San Jose
2 hospitals and 6 community health centers in San Jose, 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 San Jose; ≈ 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.
215 miles of trails across 207 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of San Jose adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How San Jose adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
2 in 5 San Jose 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.
San Jose and the towns around it
San Jose’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | A− | 23.7% | 11.1% | 9.4% | CDC place |
| Campbell | A | 24% | 9.2% | 8.4% | CDC place |
| Alum Rock | C+ | 29.8% | 13.4% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| East Foothills | A− | 24.6% | 11.7% | 9% | CDC place |
| Milpitas | A | 17.8% | 10.4% | 7.6% | CDC place |
| Santa Clara | A+ | 20.4% | 8.2% | 7.2% | CDC place |
| Fremont | A+ | 17.3% | 9.8% | 7.3% | CDC place |
| Los Gatos | A+ | 22.8% | 9.2% | 6.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of San Jose adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for San Jose
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, San Jose is better than California on 17 and worse on 0; on the rest, the California figure falls inside San Jose’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | San Jose | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.6%16.7–20.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.1%9.9–12.3 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.9%13.3–16.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 23.7%20–27.6 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.7–12.5 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 27.1%24.4–30 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.8%30.7–37.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 16.5%14.6–18.5 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.3%7.3–9.3 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.2%4.7–5.8 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.5%4–4.9 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.9%6.5–9.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.4%8.2–10.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 24.7%21.7–27.9 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13%11–15.2 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.6%28.8–36.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.1%8–10.2 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 70.3%66.8–73.5 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65%62.1–67.8 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.3%83.6–86.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.6%66.3–72.7 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.2%53.9–62.4 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.3%71–82.8 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.4%16.1–21 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.6%35.5–43.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30%26.6–33.4 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.2%13.4–17.1 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.5%11–14.1 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.9%5.1–6.7 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%7.1–8.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.6%10.2–13 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.9%23.1–28.8 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.9%9.6–12.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.2%10.9–13.5 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.9%4.4–5.5 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4.3–5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.7–7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.7–3.2 | 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 Jose
Is San Jose a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, San Jose is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #253 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 San Jose?
CDC estimates 23.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 20% and 27.6%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to San Jose?
Kaiser Foundation Hospital-San Jose in San Jose, 4.0 miles in a straight line from San Jose’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in San Jose have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8–10.2%), 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 San Jose 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 Jose.
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.