On CDC estimates, Squirrel Mountain Valley is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns
Squirrel Mountain Valley differs from California on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Squirrel Mountain Valley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Squirrel Mountain Valley
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Squirrel Mountain Valley
1 in 7 adults have COPD (13.9%), more than twice the California rate. 1 in 8 adults have heart disease (12.5%), more than twice the California rate. Stroke is also above the state: 6.6%, vs 3.1% across California. In all, Squirrel Mountain Valley runs above California on 11 of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Squirrel Mountain Valley
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (19.2%), vs 10.9% across California. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Squirrel Mountain Valley, and more people treating it
47.5% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 79.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Squirrel Mountain Valley is in the bottom 9% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Squirrel Mountain Valley is healthier than only 9% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. 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 Squirrel Mountain Valley’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Squirrel Mountain Valley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Squirrel Mountain Valley is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 44% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
Where Squirrel Mountain Valley compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 8% (U.S. 11%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 79.9% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Squirrel Mountain Valley adults…
Squirrel Mountain Valley runs above CA on 12 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Squirrel Mountain Valley is an older town: 31% 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 Squirrel Mountain Valley as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Squirrel Mountain Valley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Squirrel Mountain Valley
No hospital or community health center in Squirrel Mountain 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 Squirrel Mountain Valley; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Squirrel Mountain Valley adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Squirrel Mountain Valley runs above California.
1 in 3 Squirrel Mountain 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.
24.5% of Squirrel Mountain Valley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Squirrel Mountain Valley and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squirrel Mountain Valley | D | 36.9% | 18.5% | 19.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Squirrel Mountain Valley adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Squirrel Mountain Valley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Squirrel Mountain Valley is better than California on 7 and worse on 19; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Squirrel Mountain Valley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Squirrel Mountain Valley | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 30.8%26.6–35.4 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.7%18.1–23.4 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.5%17.3–21.8 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.9%31.3–42.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 18.5%16–21.1 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 47.5%43.4–51.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.2%39.1–47.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 38.7%35–42.3 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12%10.6–13.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.5%11.3–13.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 12.5%11–14.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 13.9%11.6–16.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.6%5.7–7.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.2%18.3–26.5 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.2%15.9–22.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 33%27.8–38 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.9%10.8–15.3 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.3%31.4–41.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8%6.3–10 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%76–81.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.9%53.3–60.5 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.8%86.1–89.4 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.9%77–82.7 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64%58.9–68.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.4%63.7–78.4 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26%22.5–29.5 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.5%28.1–36.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.9%21.4–28.5 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.6%16.3–23.3 | 17.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13.5%11.5–15.7 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.2%7.9–10.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.7%9.3–12.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.5%20.5–28.8 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 45.1%40.1–50 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 27.2%23.5–31.1 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.3%16–20.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 12.2%10.7–13.7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.7%7.5–10.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.5%11.6–15.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.3%6.3–8.5 | 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 Squirrel Mountain Valley
Is Squirrel Mountain Valley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Squirrel Mountain Valley is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns: D for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Squirrel Mountain Valley?
CDC estimates 36.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.3% and 42.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Squirrel Mountain Valley?
Kern Valley Healthcare District in Lake Isabella, 1.2 miles in a straight line from Squirrel Mountain Valley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Squirrel Mountain Valley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.3–10%), 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 Squirrel Mountain 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 Squirrel Mountain 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.