On CDC estimates, South Gate is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns
South Gate differs from California on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for South Gate. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in South Gate
1 in 4 working-age adults in South Gate has no health insurance
23.2% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 10.6% across California. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in South Gate
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (32.6%), vs 17.9% across California. Housing insecurity (27.1% vs 14.9%) and no reliable transportation (14.9% vs 9.3%) are higher too. 26.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More South Gate adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (33.9%), 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 South Gate’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B−.
What’s behind South Gate’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, South Gate is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #652 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 80% 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). South Gate’s median household income is $74,571; among the 10,861 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$93K), it’s healthier than 27%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where South Gate compares well: high blood pressure, 27.9% (U.S. 34.4%); arthritis, 17.4% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of South Gate 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.
26.7% of South Gate 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.
2.9 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 South Gate adults…
South Gate runs below CA on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of South Gate residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. COPD, arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near South Gate
5 community health centers in South Gate, 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 South Gate; ≈ 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 South Gate adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, South Gate runs above California.
4 in 10 South Gate 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.
South Gate and the towns around it
South Gate’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Gate | C | 31% | 13.8% | 12.2% | CDC place |
| Lynwood | C− | 32.7% | 14.2% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Paramount | C | 31.4% | 13.4% | 13.1% | CDC place |
| Downey | B | 27.6% | 11.8% | 9.9% | CDC place |
| Walnut Park | C− | 32% | 15.3% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| Cudahy | D | 34.9% | 15.7% | 16.3% | CDC place |
| Florence-Graham | D | 33.8% | 15% | 15.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of South Gate adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for South Gate
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, South Gate is better than California on 4 and worse on 18; on the rest, the California figure falls inside South Gate’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | South Gate | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 32.5%30.3–34.7 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.1%15.6–18.5 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16.5–19.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31%28–34 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.8%12.6–15.1 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 27.9%26–29.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.4%33.2–37.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 17.4%16–18.8 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9%8.1–9.9 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4%3.6–4.3 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.7–5.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.4%4–4.9 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.7%9.7–13.9 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.2%10.9–13.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 33.9%31.2–36.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%14.1–17.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.5%34.5–40.3 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 23.2%20.9–25.7 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.4%64.8–69.8 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.7%49–54.1 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.7%78.9–82.4 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.3%64.7–69.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 48%44.5–51.2 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.8%67.5–77.5 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.2%17.4–21.1 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 43.9%41.2–46.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 34.7%32.1–37.5 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 32.6%30.1–35.4 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 27.1%24.9–29.5 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.9%9.7–12.2 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.9%13.5–16.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 26.7%24.3–29.2 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.8%35.3–40.4 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.3%15.8–18.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20%18.4–21.7 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.3–6.4 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 9.4%8.8–10.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.5%9.6–11.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.8%5.3–6.2 | 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 South Gate
Is South Gate a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, South Gate is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: C for health, #652 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 27%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in South Gate?
CDC estimates 31% of adults have obesity, likely between 28% and 34%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to South Gate?
Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital in Los Angeles, 3.3 miles in a straight line from South Gate’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in South Gate have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 23.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 20.9–25.7%), 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 South Gate more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in South Gate.
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.