Photo: Brittneal · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Shafter is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns
Shafter differs from California on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Shafter. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Shafter
Dental care lags in Shafter
48.4% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 20.5% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Shafter
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (34.7%), about twice the California rate. Utility shut-off threats (15.2% vs 7.3%) and housing insecurity (28.2% vs 14.9%) are higher too. 32.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Shafter adults get no exercise
35.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. There are 73 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. 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 Shafter’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Shafter’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shafter is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns, #761 of 847 in California. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 46% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Shafter’s median household income is $71,215; among the 10,610 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($53K–$89K), it’s healthier than 9%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Shafter compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 30.9% (U.S. 37.1%); arthritis, 18.3% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.2% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Shafter 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.
32.7% of Shafter 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.
73 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Shafter adults…
Shafter runs below CA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of Shafter residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Shafter
1 community health center in Shafter, 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 Shafter; ≈ 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).
How Shafter adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Shafter runs above California.
2 in 5 Shafter 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.
Shafter and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shafter | D | 38.3% | 13.4% | 15.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Shafter adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Shafter
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Shafter is better than California on 3 and worse on 18; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Shafter’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Shafter | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 32.2%29–35.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.3–19.1 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.2%19–23.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.3%32.8–44.2 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.4%11.9–15.1 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 29.5%26.4–32.7 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.9%27.5–34.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 18.3%16.2–20.5 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.3 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5–6.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%3–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.5%17–24.1 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.2%13.2–17.4 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35.9%31.7–40.2 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.5%14.7–20.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.1%35–45.6 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 23.4%20.1–26.7 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.7%63.6–71.6 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 48.4%44.9–52.1 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.9%75.5–80.3 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 63.7%60.4–66.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 47.7%42.9–52.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.7%66.5–80.2 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.7–26 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.9%34.3–43.5 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.7%28–35.6 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 34.7%30.8–38.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 28.2%24.9–31.3 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.2%13.3–17.2 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 17.6%15.6–19.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 32.7%29.1–36.1 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.9%35.8–44.1 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.8%15.8–19.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 22%19.7–24.4 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.5–6.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 10.2%9.3–11.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.8%10.6–13.2 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 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 Shafter
Is Shafter a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Shafter is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns: D for health, #761 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 9%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Shafter?
CDC estimates 38.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.8% and 44.2%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Shafter?
Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, 12.2 miles in a straight line from Shafter’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Shafter have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 23.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 20.1–26.7%), 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 Shafter more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Shafter.
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.