Minerva Club of Santa Maria · Photo: ELEAZARCH · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Santa Maria as a whole is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns
Santa Maria differs from California on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Santa Maria. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Santa Maria
1 in 4 working-age adults in Santa Maria has no health insurance
22.9% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 10.6% across California. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Santa Maria
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (31.4%), vs 17.9% across California. Utility shut-off threats (12.6% vs 7.3%) and no reliable transportation (15.5% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 27.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Santa Maria
50.8% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 14.3% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
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 Maria’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Santa Maria’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Santa Maria is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #656 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 83% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Santa Maria’s median household income is $84,746; among the 10,413 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$106K), it’s healthier than 17%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Santa Maria compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 31.7% (U.S. 37.1%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.9% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 111,390 residents, Santa Maria is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Keeping up with care
Share of Santa Maria 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.
27.8% of Santa Maria adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Out of every 100 Santa Maria adults…
Santa Maria runs below CA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Santa Maria residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Santa Maria
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Santa Maria, 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 Santa Maria; ≈ 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.
11 miles of trails across 31 parks and preserves
How Santa Maria adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Santa Maria runs above California.
2 in 5 Santa Maria 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.
Santa Maria and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria | C | 30.2% | 12.5% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Orcutt | A− | 25.6% | 10.7% | 10.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Santa Maria adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Santa Maria
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Santa Maria is better than California on 2 and worse on 15; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Santa Maria’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Santa Maria | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 31%28–34.1 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.9–18.5 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.2%17.1–21.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.2%24.5–36.2 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.9–14.1 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.8%26.5–33.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.7%28.1–35.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 19.6%17.3–22 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.5–10.9 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.7%5.2–6.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.3%11.7–17.1 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.9%12.1–15.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.8%28.5–37.2 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%13.6–19.4 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.7%29.9–41.4 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 22.9%20.4–25.5 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 66.9%62.7–70.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.8%47.2–54.3 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.3%77–81.4 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 65.4%62–68.6 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.1%49.9–59.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.7%62.5–78 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.2%18.1–24.4 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.8%35–44.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.8%27–34.7 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31.4%28.4–34.6 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 24.8%22.2–27.6 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.6%11.1–14.2 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 15.5%13.9–17.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 27.8%25.2–30.6 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 38.7%34.6–42.8 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.1%15.3–19.1 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.5%18.5–22.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.8–7.3 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 9.1%8.4–9.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.2%10.1–12.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%5.1–6 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Maria
Is Santa Maria a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Santa Maria is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #656 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 17%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Santa Maria?
CDC estimates 30.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.5% and 36.2%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Santa Maria?
Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, 2.1 miles in a straight line from Santa Maria’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Santa Maria have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 22.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 20.4–25.5%), 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 Maria more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Santa Maria.
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.