Edgemoor Farm Dairy Barn · Photo: Somewikistuff · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Santee is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Santee differs from California on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Santee. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Santee
Against towns with similar incomes, Santee’s lead shrinks
Santee is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, but 57% of the 6,691 towns with similar household incomes ($85K–$142K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and depression run high in Santee
1 in 13 adults have had cancer (8%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (23.9%), vs 20.1% across California. Conditions ↓
Fewer Santee adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below California. 1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Santee is an active town
Only 19.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 65 miles of trails across 13 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 Santee’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Santee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Santee is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #277 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 93% of U.S. towns); mental distress 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). Santee’s median household income is $113,394; among the 6,691 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($85K–$142K), it’s healthier than 57%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Santee adults…
Santee runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. 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.
13.1% of Santee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
65 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves
Care in and near Santee
1 community health center in Santee, 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 Santee; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Santee adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Santee adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Santee runs above California.
1 in 3 Santee 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.
Santee and the towns around it
Santee’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santee | A− | 26.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| San Diego | A | 24.2% | 9.2% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| El Cajon | C+ | 30% | 11.8% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Winter Gardens | B | 27.9% | 10.3% | 12.8% | CDC place |
| Bostonia | B− | 29.4% | 10.9% | 13.8% | CDC place |
| Eucalyptus Hills | A− | 26.4% | 9.8% | 11.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Santee adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Santee
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Santee is better than California on 10 and worse on 2; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Santee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Santee | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.2%16.6–20.1 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.7%11.5–14.1 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%16.1–19.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.2%23.1–29.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.5%8.5–10.7 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.6%27.3–32.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.9%31.4–36.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.2%20.3–24.3 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.9–11.1 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8%7.4–8.8 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.4%4.9–6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.6%5–6.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3%2.8–3.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.5%7.7–11.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.4%10–13 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.5%17.4–22 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%15.3–19.9 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.5%31.1–37.9 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.8%5.9–7.8 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.2%70.6–76.1 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.2%63.4–68.9 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.5%85.1–88 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.7%65.7–71.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.6%59.6–67.2 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.1%71.1–82.1 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%21.6–26.7 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35.6%32.5–39.1 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.2%24.5–30.2 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.3%11.8–15.1 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.3%10.8–13.9 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.2%5.4–7.1 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.7%6.9–8.7 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.1%11.7–14.9 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.4%25–30.1 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.3%11.1–13.7 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.3%13–15.9 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.7%5.2–6.4 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%4.1–4.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%7.1–8.6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.2–3.7 | 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 Santee
Is Santee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Santee is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #277 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 57%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Santee?
CDC estimates 26.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.1% and 29.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Santee?
Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, 5.4 miles in a straight line from Santee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Santee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.9–7.8%), 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 Santee 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 Santee.
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.