Photo: Steven Baltakatei Sandoval · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Stanford is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Stanford differs from California on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Stanford. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Stanford
Diabetes and heart disease are less common in Stanford
Stanford runs below California on nine chronic conditions, most of all diabetes (3.3% vs 11.7%), heart disease (1.6% vs 5.6%) and stroke (0.9% vs 3.1%). A young population is part of it: only 4% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%). Conditions ↓
Mental distress runs high in Stanford
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (21.9%), vs 16.4% across California. Depression is above the state too: 26.6%, vs 20.1% across California. Mind & connection ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Stanford doesn’t win on
19.1% of adults binge drink, vs 15.3% across California, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Stanford has a five-star hospital
Stanford Health Care is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Stanford’s likely range.
What’s behind Stanford’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Stanford is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, #168 of 847 in California. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Stanford’s median household income is $75,208; among the 10,847 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$94K), it’s healthier than 97%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Stanford adults…
Stanford runs below CA on 10 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 4% of Stanford residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
How Stanford adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Stanford runs above California.
5 in 10 Stanford 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
7.8 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Care in and near Stanford
1 hospital in Stanford, 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 Stanford; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Stanford 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.
12.7% of Stanford adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Stanford and the towns around it
Stanford’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford | A | 22.2% | 3.3% | 7.8% | CDC place |
| Palo Alto | A+ | 20.2% | 9.1% | 5.8% | CDC place |
| Menlo Park | A+ | 22.3% | 7.9% | 6.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Stanford adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Stanford
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Stanford is better than California on 16 and worse on 7; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Stanford’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Stanford | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.6%11.6–15.9 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.1%7–9.3 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.9%19.2–24.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22.2%18.6–25.9 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 3.3%2.8–3.8 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 14%12.2–15.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 18.4%16.2–20.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 7%6.1–7.9 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.7–11.1 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 2.2%2–2.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 1.6%1.4–1.8 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 2.1%1.8–2.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 0.9%0.8–1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.1%4.1–6.3 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.8%6.2–9.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.6%14.7–21 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.1%16.3–22.2 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.7%28.9–36.7 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.6%5.4–8.1 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 61.3%57–65.3 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.1%58–64.2 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 72.5%69.1–75.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 39.1%36.2–42.2 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64%59.7–68.1 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.5%71.3–82.9 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.6%23.3–29.8 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 46.4%41.8–50.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.3%24.6–32.1 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.1%12.2–18.4 | 17.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.6%10.4–14.9 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.5–7.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.5%8.9–12.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.7%10.1–15.5 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.9%21.3–28.5 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 4.3%3.7–5.1 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.8%14.4–19.3 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3.1–3.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%6.2–8.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.6%1.4–1.8 | 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 Stanford
Is Stanford a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Stanford is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health, #168 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 97%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Stanford?
CDC estimates 22.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.6% and 25.9%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Stanford?
Stanford Health Care in Stanford, 0.6 miles in a straight line from Stanford’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Stanford have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.4–8.1%), 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 Stanford more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Stanford.
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.