Marin County Civic Center · Photo: Fizbin at en.wikipedia · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, San Rafael is healthier than 47%
San Rafael 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 Rafael. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in San Rafael
Against towns with similar incomes, San Rafael’s lead shrinks
San Rafael is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, but 47% of the 5,814 towns with similar household incomes ($90K–$149K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer runs high in San Rafael
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (8.7%), vs 6.4% across California. Conditions ↓
San Rafael has a top-rated hospital
Kaiser Foundation Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
San Rafael adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (32.2% vs 37.3%) and lack of emotional support (24.7% vs 28.6%) both run below California. Mind & connection ↓
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 Rafael’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind San Rafael’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, San Rafael is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #293 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 98% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 39%).
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 Rafael’s median household income is $119,435; among the 5,814 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($90K–$149K), it’s healthier than 47%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 San Rafael adults…
San Rafael runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near San Rafael
1 hospital and 3 community health centers in San Rafael, 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 Rafael; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How San Rafael adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, San Rafael does better than California.
1 in 3 San Rafael 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
62 miles of trails across 28 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of San Rafael adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14% of San Rafael adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
San Rafael and the towns around it
San Rafael’s Health Grade ranks 8th of 9 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 Rafael | A− | 23% | 10.3% | 10.3% | CDC place |
| Santa Venetia | A | 21.6% | 10.8% | 8.8% | CDC place |
| Ross | A+ | 19.7% | 8.5% | 6.3% | CDC place |
| Larkspur | A+ | 20.3% | 9.3% | 7% | CDC place |
| Kentfield | A+ | 20% | 8.8% | 6.7% | CDC place |
| San Anselmo | A+ | 20.7% | 8.6% | 7.1% | CDC place |
| Lucas Valley-Marinwood | A+ | 19.9% | 9.5% | 7% | CDC place |
| Sleepy Hollow | A+ | 19.8% | 9.2% | 6.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of San Rafael adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for San Rafael
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, San Rafael is better than California on 6 and worse on 1; on the rest, the California figure falls inside San Rafael’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | San Rafael | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.8%18.4–23.3 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.9–15 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.2–17.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 23%17.8–29.1 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.3%8.9–11.8 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.5%26.9–34.4 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.1%31–39.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.1%20.3–26.1 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.5–10.8 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.9–9.5 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.4–6.7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.4%4.8–6.1 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.6%6–9.3 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.3%8.9–11.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.4%19–26.3 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.9%13.1–18.9 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.3%25.7–36.9 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.6%10–13.1 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 71%66.9–74.8 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.9%64.6–70.9 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.4%84.7–87.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.7%69.2–75.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.7%59.7–69.1 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.5%71.4–84.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%18.1–24.6 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.2%27.9–36.7 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.7%21.5–28 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.7%13.8–17.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.4%11.8–15 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%6.1–7.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.6%7.7–9.5 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14%12.5–15.7 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.6%26.9–34.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.5%11.8–15.3 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.1%12.6–15.7 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.7–7.2 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.9–5.8 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%7–8.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.4–4 | 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 San Rafael
Is San Rafael a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, San Rafael is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #293 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 Rafael?
CDC estimates 23% of adults have obesity, likely between 17.8% and 29.1%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to San Rafael?
Marinhealth Medical Center in Greenbrae, 2.8 miles in a straight line from San Rafael’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in San Rafael have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10–13.1%), 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 Rafael 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 Rafael.
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.