Photo: bill mulder from santa margarita, usa · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Santa Margarita is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns
Santa Margarita differs from California on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Santa Margarita. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Santa Margarita
Cancer and depression run high in Santa Margarita
1 in 12 adults have had cancer (8.6%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (23.5%), vs 20.1% across California. Conditions ↓
Santa Margarita keeps up with checkups
It beats California on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (73.1% vs 62.8%) and cholesterol checks (87.9% vs 85.4%). Checkups ↓
Santa Margarita is an active town
Only 17.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. 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 Santa Margarita’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Santa Margarita’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Santa Margarita is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 92% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 63%.
Out of every 100 Santa Margarita adults…
Santa Margarita runs below CA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Santa Margarita adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
0.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Santa Margarita
No hospital or community health center in Santa Margarita itself. These are the nearest.
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 Santa Margarita; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Santa Margarita adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Santa Margarita runs above California.
1 in 3 Santa Margarita 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.
9.3% of Santa Margarita adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Santa Margarita and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Margarita | A | 26.9% | 9.1% | 10.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Santa Margarita adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Santa Margarita
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Santa Margarita is better than California on 13 and worse on 2; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Santa Margarita’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Santa Margarita | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.8%14–20 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%10.8–14.6 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.3–18.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.9%21.6–32.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.1%7.8–10.7 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.5%26.9–34.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34%30.2–38 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.6%20.8–26.7 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.6%7.7–9.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.6–6.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.3%4.3–6.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.5–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.7%6.1–9.5 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.8%8.4–13.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 17.9%14.4–21.9 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.8%14.9–21.1 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.7%24.3–35.3 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%4.6–7.6 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.9%68–75.5 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.1%70–76 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.9%86–89.7 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.3%66.7–73.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.4%63.5–73.1 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79%72.2–84.8 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.5%20.2–27.1 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33%28.3–38 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.7%20–27.6 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.4%8.1–12.9 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.5%7.7–11.5 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.3–6.2 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.2%5.2–7.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 9.3%7.2–11.9 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.2%22.2–30.5 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.7%9.6–14 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.9%11–15.1 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.7%5–6.6 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.3–4.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.8%5.8–8 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.6–3.7 | 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 Santa Margarita
Is Santa Margarita a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Santa Margarita is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns: A for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Santa Margarita?
CDC estimates 26.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.6% and 32.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Santa Margarita?
Adventist Health Sierra Vista in San Luis Obispo, 7.5 miles in a straight line from Santa Margarita’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Santa Margarita have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.6–7.6%), 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 Santa Margarita 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 Santa Margarita.
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.