Errea House · Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Tehachapi is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns
Tehachapi trails California on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Tehachapi. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Tehachapi
Making ends meet is harder in Tehachapi
1 in 10 adults were threatened with a utility shut-off (9.9%), vs 7.3% across California. Housing insecurity (18.3% vs 14.9%) and no reliable transportation (11.3% vs 9.3%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Smoking is more common in Tehachapi
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (15.2%), vs 10.9% across California. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Tehachapi
57.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 13.7% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). 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 Tehachapi’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Tehachapi’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tehachapi is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns, #615 of 847 in California. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 59% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Tehachapi’s median household income is $72,957; among the 10,730 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$91K), it’s healthier than 39%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.4% of Tehachapi 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.
15 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Tehachapi adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Out of every 100 Tehachapi adults…
Tehachapi runs above CA on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Tehachapi
1 community health center in Tehachapi, 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 Tehachapi; ≈ 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 Tehachapi adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Tehachapi runs above California.
4 in 10 Tehachapi 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.
Tehachapi and the towns around it
Tehachapi’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tehachapi | C+ | 35.2% | 11.5% | 15.2% | CDC place |
| Golden Hills | B | 32.1% | 11% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| Bear Valley Springs | A− | 28.6% | 11.3% | 9.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Tehachapi adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Tehachapi
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Tehachapi is better than California on 0 and worse on 13; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Tehachapi’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Tehachapi | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.5%21.7–27.7 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13.1–16.6 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.4–21.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.2%29.8–40.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 11.5%10.1–13.1 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32%28.6–35.4 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.2%28.8–35.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.7%18.4–23.1 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.2 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 6.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6%5.4–6.7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.2%5.4–7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.7%11.1–16.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.2%13–17.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27%23.2–31.2 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 19.7%16.6–23.1 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.1%34–44.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.2%11.8–16.9 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.2%65.3–72.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.5%54–61.1 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 81.7%79.2–83.7 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 65.6%62.1–68.9 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.3%51.6–61 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.2%69.3–82.2 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.2%19.2–25.4 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.2%31.7–40.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.7%26.9–34.5 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.7%17.7–23.9 | 17.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.3%15.8–20.8 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.9%8.6–11.3 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.3%10–12.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.4%16.7–22.2 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.5%30.6–38.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15%13.2–16.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.7%15.7–19.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.7–7.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.2%8.1–10.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.1–5 | 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 Tehachapi
Is Tehachapi a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Tehachapi is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #615 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 39%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Tehachapi?
CDC estimates 35.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.8% and 40.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Tehachapi?
Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley in Tehachapi, 3.2 miles in a straight line from Tehachapi’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Tehachapi have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.8–16.9%), 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 Tehachapi 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 Tehachapi.
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.