On CDC estimates, Thermal is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Thermal differs from California on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 22 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Thermal. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Thermal
Dental care lags in Thermal
39% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 24.1% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
More Thermal adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (41.6%), vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Thermal
42.6% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 17.9% across California (more than twice the California rate). Utility shut-off threats (16.7% vs 7.3%) and housing insecurity (33.8% vs 14.9%) are higher too. 37% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Thermal’s likely range.
What’s behind Thermal’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Thermal is healthier than 6% of U.S. towns. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 40% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
Where Thermal compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 3.7% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Thermal adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
37% of Thermal adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Out of every 100 Thermal adults…
Thermal runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Thermal
No hospital or community health center in Thermal 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 Thermal; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Thermal adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Thermal runs above California.
2 in 5 Thermal 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.
Thermal and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Thermal adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Thermal
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Thermal is better than California on 1 and worse on 22; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Thermal’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Thermal | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 39.6%35.8–43.5 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.9%17.8–22.2 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.4%18.3–22.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.8%39.4–48.3 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16.2%14.5–18.2 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 32.9%30.1–35.6 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.9%33.1–38.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.9%19–23.1 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.5–10.7 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.7%3.3–4.1 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%5.9–7.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.9%5.1–6.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.3–4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 24.1%20.3–28.2 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.8%13.6–18.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 41.6%37.5–46 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14%11.9–16.2 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.4%39.1–47.9 | 35.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 29.1%24.8–33.5 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 66.3%62.8–69.8 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 39%35.9–42.3 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.3%74.6–80 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 65.5%62.4–68.5 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 43.9%39.4–48.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.4%65.4–78.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.1%19.5–25 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 41.1%37.3–45.1 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 33.5%30–37.2 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 42.6%37.9–47.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 33.8%30.1–37.7 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 16.7%14.7–18.9 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 19.8%17.5–22.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 37%32.8–41.4 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 45.7%41.7–49.9 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.1%19.7–24.6 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 23.9%21.2–26.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.5–8.2 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 12.5%11.2–13.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13.6%12–15.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.4%6.5–8.2 | 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 Thermal
Is Thermal a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Thermal is healthier than 6% 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 Thermal?
CDC estimates 43.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 39.4% and 48.3%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Thermal?
John F Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio, 8.1 miles in a straight line from Thermal’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Thermal have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 29.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 24.8–33.5%), 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 Thermal 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 Thermal.
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.