Photo: Toglenn · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Twentynine Palms is healthier than 89%
Twentynine Palms differs from California on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Twentynine Palms. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Twentynine Palms
Mental distress runs high in Twentynine Palms
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (22.2%), vs 16.4% across California. Depression is above the state too: 23.5%, vs 20.1% across California. Mind & connection ↓
Dental care lags in Twentynine Palms
52.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 16.2% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Twentynine Palms
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.7%), vs 17.9% across California. No reliable transportation (13% vs 9.3%) and utility shut-off threats (9.3% vs 7.3%) are higher too. 20.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Twentynine Palms is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Twentynine Palms is healthier than 65%. Against the 9,528 towns with similar household incomes ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 89%. 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 Twentynine Palms’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
What’s behind Twentynine Palms’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Twentynine Palms is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, #396 of 847 in California. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 98% of U.S. towns); 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). Twentynine Palms’ median household income is $62,554; among the 9,528 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$78K), it’s healthier than 89%, more than its income alone would suggest.
How Twentynine Palms adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Twentynine Palms runs above California.
2 in 5 Twentynine Palms 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Twentynine Palms 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.
20.9% of Twentynine Palms adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Out of every 100 Twentynine Palms adults…
Twentynine Palms runs below CA on 7 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of Twentynine Palms residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Twentynine Palms
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Twentynine Palms, 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 Twentynine Palms; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
139 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Twentynine Palms and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twentynine Palms | B+ | 31% | 7.3% | 13% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Twentynine Palms adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Twentynine Palms
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Twentynine Palms is better than California on 8 and worse on 15; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Twentynine Palms’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Twentynine Palms | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.5%19.3–23.7 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.3%11–13.6 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 22.2%20–24.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31%27–35.1 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.3%6.5–8.3 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 24.9%22.4–27.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 26.3%23.8–28.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 15.6%14–17.2 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.4–11.8 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4%3.6–4.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4%3.6–4.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.2%13.4–19.5 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13%11.3–14.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 21.1%18.3–23.9 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.4%17.6–23.5 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.9%34.7–43.3 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.4%9–12 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 63.8%60–67.3 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.2%48.9–55.6 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 74.1%71.3–76.6 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 56.4%53.7–58.9 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.4%51.9–61 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.2%64.5–77.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.5%20.7–26.4 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 42%38–46.1 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.9%27.5–34.3 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.7%19–24.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17%15–19.1 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.3%8.1–10.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13%11.5–14.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.9%18.4–23.4 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31%27.7–34.1 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.7%8.6–10.7 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.6%17.6–21.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%5–5.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.7–10.6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.6 | 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 Twentynine Palms
Is Twentynine Palms a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Twentynine Palms is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #396 of 847 in California. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Twentynine Palms?
CDC estimates 31% of adults have obesity, likely between 27% and 35.1%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Twentynine Palms?
Hi-Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree, 12.1 miles in a straight line from Twentynine Palms’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Twentynine Palms have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9–12%), 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 Twentynine Palms more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Twentynine Palms.
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.