On CDC estimates, Sky Valley is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns
Sky Valley differs from California on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sky Valley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sky Valley
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Sky Valley
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10%), about twice the California rate. 1 in 9 adults have heart disease (10.8%), about twice the California rate. Stroke is also above the state: 5.4%, vs 3.1% across California. In all, Sky Valley runs above California on nine of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 32% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Sky Valley, and more people treating it
44.4% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 78.2% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
More Sky Valley adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.3%), vs 24.6% across California. There are 38 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Sky Valley is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sky Valley is healthier than 19%. Against the 6,185 towns with similar household incomes ($38K–$64K), it’s healthier than 43%. Health Grade ↓
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 Sky Valley’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Sky Valley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sky Valley is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 53% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Sky Valley’s median household income is $51,190; among the 6,185 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($38K–$64K), it’s healthier than 43%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Sky Valley compares well: binge drinking, 12.1% (U.S. 15.4%).
Out of every 100 Sky Valley adults…
Sky Valley runs above CA on 11 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Sky Valley is an older town: 32% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Sky Valley as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sky Valley 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.
38 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Care in and near Sky Valley
No hospital or community health center in Sky Valley 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 Sky Valley; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Sky Valley adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Sky Valley runs above California.
1 in 3 Sky Valley 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.
19.9% of Sky Valley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Sky Valley and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky Valley | C− | 39.4% | 17% | 14.5% | CDC place |
| Thousand Palms | C− | 39.8% | 16.3% | 13.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sky Valley adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sky Valley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sky Valley is better than California on 6 and worse on 16; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Sky Valley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sky Valley | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.8%26.6–33.5 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.8%16.8–21.1 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%15.1–18.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.4%35.1–43.6 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 17%15.1–19.1 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 44.4%41.4–47.5 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44%40.9–47.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 35.3%32.6–38.2 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.3 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.6%9.5–11.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.8%9.7–12.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10%8.6–11.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.4%4.9–6.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.8%11.4–16.5 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.5%12.3–16.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.3%27.4–35.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.1%10.3–14 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.6%32.6–40.8 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.1%10.1–14.4 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.3%73.6–78.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.4%58.2–64.7 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.5%85.8–89 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.2%75.5–80.6 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65%60.6–69.2 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.5%70–82.2 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23%20.4–25.7 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33.7%30.2–37.3 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.3%22.3–28.3 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.4%17.6–23.3 | 17.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.9%13.8–17.9 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.9%7.7–10.1 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.5%9.2–11.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.9%17.1–23 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.7%39.1–46.8 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 23.9%21.2–26.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.8%14.9–19 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.9%9.7–12.2 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.1%7.2–9.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.7%10.3–13.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.2%5.5–7.1 | 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 Sky Valley
Is Sky Valley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sky Valley is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns: C− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 43%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sky Valley?
CDC estimates 39.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.1% and 43.6%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sky Valley?
Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, 9.5 miles in a straight line from Sky Valley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sky Valley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.1–14.4%), 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 Sky Valley 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 Sky Valley.
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.