Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Taft is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns
Taft differs from California on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Taft. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Taft
The nearest ER is 28 miles from Taft
The closest emergency room is Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, 28.1 miles away in a straight line. And 12.1% of adults lack reliable transportation, vs 9.3% across California. For everyday care, Omni Family Health is closer (2.2 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Dental care lags in Taft
53.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 15.4% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
Mental distress runs high in Taft
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.5%), vs 16.4% across California. Depression is above the state too: 23.7%, vs 20.1% across California. Mind & connection ↓
Many Taft adults are uninsured, but health holds up
1 in 6 working-age adults has no health insurance (15.4%, vs 10.6% across California). Yet the share who say their health is fair or poor, 25.4%, is about level with the state’s 22.1%. Checkups ↓
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 Taft’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Taft’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Taft is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns, #640 of 847 in California. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 61% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Taft’s median household income is $72,772; among the 10,714 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$91K), it’s healthier than 32%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Taft compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 31.8% (U.S. 37.1%).
Care in and near Taft
1 community health center in Taft, 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 Taft; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Taft adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Taft adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Taft runs above California.
4 in 10 Taft 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.
Out of every 100 Taft adults…
Taft runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
18 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
21% of Taft adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Taft and the towns around it
Taft has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taft | C | 35.3% | 11.4% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| South Taft | C− | 37.5% | 12.6% | 16.5% | CDC place |
| Taft Heights | D | 37.4% | 12.4% | 19.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Taft adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Taft
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Taft is better than California on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Taft’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Taft | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.4%21.9–28.9 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.4–17.3 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.5%18.2–22.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.3%29.9–41.1 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.4%9.9–13 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 30.7%27.4–34 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.8%28.4–35.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 20.5%18.2–22.9 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.9%5.3–6.5 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.2–6.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.3%5.5–7.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.4%12.7–18.5 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.3%12.9–17.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.3%23.9–32.8 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.4%16.4–22.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.9%33.9–44.2 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.4%12.7–18.3 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.8%64.8–72.5 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.1%49.6–56.7 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.5%78.1–82.7 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 65.3%61.9–68.5 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.1%50.2–60.1 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.6%65.3–79.4 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.7%20.5–27.1 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 36.8%32.2–41.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 29.7%26–33.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 22.4%18.9–25.9 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.2%16.5–22 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.3%8.9–11.9 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.1%10.5–13.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21%17.8–24.2 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.6%31.1–40.1 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.2%13.2–17.4 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.8%16.3–21.3 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.4–11.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 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 Taft
Is Taft a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Taft is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #640 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 32%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Taft?
CDC estimates 35.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.9% and 41.1%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Taft?
Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, 28.1 miles in a straight line from Taft’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Taft have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.7–18.3%), 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 Taft more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Taft.
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.