Photo: Taylorj661 · Public domainOn CDC estimates, San Marcos is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
San Marcos differs from California on 7 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for San Marcos. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in San Marcos
San Marcos has a top-rated hospital
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
San Marcos is an active town
Only 20.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 64 miles of trails across 27 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 Marcos’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind San Marcos’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, San Marcos is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #250 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 95% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 53%.
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 Marcos’ median household income is $109,377; among the 7,239 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($82K–$137K), it’s healthier than 68%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near San Marcos
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in San Marcos, 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 Marcos; ≈ 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.
64 miles of trails across 27 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 San Marcos adults…
San Marcos runs below CA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of San Marcos adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How San Marcos adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
4 in 10 San Marcos 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 Marcos adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
San Marcos and the towns around it
San Marcos’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 7 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 Marcos | A− | 25.3% | 9.5% | 9.9% | CDC place |
| Escondido | B− | 28.1% | 11.3% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| Carlsbad | A+ | 23.3% | 8.8% | 8% | CDC place |
| Vista | B+ | 27.5% | 10.1% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Lake San Marcos | A− | 22.4% | 12.3% | 7.4% | CDC place |
| Harmony Grove | A | 24.2% | 8.1% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Encinitas | A+ | 23.4% | 8.6% | 7.8% | CDC place |
| Elfin Forest | — | — | — | — |
Elfin Forest: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of San Marcos adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for San Marcos
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, San Marcos is better than California on 6 and worse on 1; on the rest, the California figure falls inside San Marcos’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | San Marcos | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.9%17.2–21 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.9–13.4 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%15.3–18.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.3%22.2–28.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.5%8.5–10.7 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 27.3%25.1–29.7 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.5%30.1–35.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 19%17.3–20.9 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.2%8.3–10.4 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%6.1–7.3 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.8%4.4–5.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.6%4.2–5.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–2.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.7%7.9–11.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.9%8.8–11.4 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.5%18.3–23.2 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.1%14.9–19.5 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.2%30.7–37.6 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.4%8.2–10.7 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.2%69.4–75 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65%62.2–67.6 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%83.7–86.7 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 66.9%64.1–69.9 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.7%55.6–63.5 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.5%70.5–81.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22%19.7–24.7 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.4%33.3–40 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.1%25.4–31.2 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.9%14.2–17.9 | 17.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14%12.5–15.8 | 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%12.9–16.2 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.7%24.3–29.5 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.6%10.4–12.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%13–16 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.2%4.7–5.8 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.6–5.4 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.9–8.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 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 Marcos
Is San Marcos a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, San Marcos is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #250 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 68%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in San Marcos?
CDC estimates 25.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.2% and 28.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to San Marcos?
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos in San Marcos, 0.4 miles in a straight line from San Marcos’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in San Marcos have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.2–10.7%), 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 San Marcos 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 Marcos.
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.