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DHealth Grade
Health in Weldon · CDC PLACES 2025

Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Weldon is healthier than 54%

Weldon differs from California on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 20 worse.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Weldon. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Weldon

COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Weldon

1 in 8 adults have COPD (13%), more than twice the California rate. 1 in 8 adults have heart disease (11.8%), about twice the California rate. Stroke is also above the state: 6.2%, vs 3.1% across California. In all, Weldon runs above California on 11 of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 46% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓

Smoking is more common in Weldon

1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (19.3%), vs 10.9% across California. Habits ↓

More high blood pressure in Weldon, and more people treating it

45.6% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 78.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓

Weldon is in the bottom 8% of U.S. towns for health

On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Weldon is healthier than only 8% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on six of the seven. Health Grade ↓

Weldon is healthier than its income would predict

Against all U.S. towns, Weldon is healthier than 8%. Against the 1,286 towns with similar household incomes ($26K–$44K), it’s healthier than 54%. 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 Weldon’s likely range.

Health Grade

What’s behind Weldon’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Weldon is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 41% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).

D−Self-rated health30.7% · CA 22.1% · U.S. 19.4%
D−Physical distress20.4% · CA 13.4% · U.S. 13%
DMental distress20.3% · CA 16.4% · U.S. 15.9%
C+Obesity37.4% · CA 27.8% · U.S. 32.9%
D−Diabetes17.9% · CA 11.7% · U.S. 12%
DSmoking19.3% smoke · CA 10.9% · U.S. 11.8%
DExercise32.7% · CA 24.6% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 8%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $26K–$44K (1,286)Healthier than 54%

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). Weldon’s median household income is $35,221; among the 1,286 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($26K–$44K), it’s healthier than 54%, about where its income would put it.

Where Weldon compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 8.5% (U.S. 11%).

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Weldon could be anywhere from D− to C−.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Weldon adults…

Weldon runs above CA on 12 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

13 of every 100 Weldon adults have COPD
California: 5 in 100 · worse · likely 11.4–14.8%
Better than CAWorseAbout the sameCalifornia
Why age matters here

Weldon is an older town: 46% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Weldon as about how healthy they are.

Residents 65 and older

Weldon46%
California16%
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with California

Share of adults, with the California figure marked.

Get no exercise 32.7%CA 24.6%
Sleep under 7 hours 37.4%CA 35.1%
Binge drink 13.9%CA 15.3%
Smoke cigarettes 19.3%CA 10.9%
0%10%20%30%40%
Weldon, betterWeldon, worseAbout the sameCalifornia
Where Weldon gets moving

23 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Weldon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.

78%Yearly checkupCA 72%
56%Dentist visitCA 63%
87%Cholesterol checkCA 85%
62%Colon screeningCA 58%
73%MammogramCA 76%
78%Taking BP medsCA 71%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Weldon 8.5% · California 1 in 9 (10.6%)
Getting care

Care in and near Weldon

No hospital or community health center in Weldon itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERKern Valley Healthcare DistrictLake Isabella · 5.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyKern Valley Healthcare District★★★★★ · 5.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careClinica Sierra VistaWofford Heights · 9.4 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
5.5 mi
Kern Valley Healthcare District
Lake Isabella · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
9.4 mi
Clinica Sierra Vista
2 sites · nearest in Wofford Heights
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
35.9 mi
Ridgecrest Regional Hospital
Ridgecrest · not rated
ERRural critical access
36 mi
Omni Family Health
6 sites · nearest in Ridgecrest
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
37.8 mi
Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley
Tehachapi · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
41.3 mi
Kern Medical Center
Bakersfield · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careWeldon is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careWeldon is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthWeldon is not a shortage area

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 Weldon; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Mind & connection

How Weldon adults are doing

On 2 of 4 measures, Weldon runs above California.

1 in 3Weldon adults feel lonely
33.1% · CA 37.3% · About the same as CA
1 in 4Weldon adults lack social or emotional support
25.5% · CA 28.6% · About the same as CA
1 in 4Weldon adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.3% · CA 20.1% · Worse than CA
1 in 5Weldon adults are in frequent mental distress
20.3% · CA 16.4% · Worse than CA
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Weldon adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

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 needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 5
Weldon adults worry about having enough food
20.5% · CA 17.9%
About the same as CA
1 in 7
Weldon adults worry about keeping their housing
14.8% · CA 14.9%
About the same as CA
1 in 10
Weldon adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.9% · CA 7.3%
Worse than CA
1 in 9
Weldon adults lack reliable transportation
11.3% · CA 9.3%
Worse than CA

25.1% of Weldon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.

Around town

Weldon and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
WeldonD37.4%17.9%19.3%CDC place
Onyx————

Onyx: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

44.3%

of Weldon adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs25.9%
Thinking or memory19%
Hearing11.4%
Errands alone13.4%
Vision8.7%
Dressing or bathing7.2%
California

Every CDC estimate for Weldon

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Weldon is better than California on 3 and worse on 20; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Weldon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…WeldonCAU.S.vs CA
Overall health
Fair or poor health30.7%27.1–34.522.1%19.4%Worse
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)20.4%18.1–22.913.4%13%Worse
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)20.3%18–22.516.4%15.9%Worse
Conditions
Obesity37.4%31.8–43.327.8%32.9%Worse
Diabetes17.9%15.7–20.211.7%12%Worse
High blood pressure45.6%41.7–49.530.5%34.4%Worse
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)41.8%37.7–45.835.4%37.1%Worse
Arthritis36.2%32.8–39.720.8%25.3%Worse
Asthma11.9%10.6–13.49.3%9.9%Worse
Cancer, other than skin cancer11.4%10.3–12.76.4%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease11.8%10.5–13.25.6%6.4%Worse
COPD13%11.4–14.85.1%6.3%Worse
Stroke6.2%5.6–6.93.1%3.4%Worse
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)17.3%14.2–2110.6%12.3%Worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes19.3%16.5–22.410.9%11.8%Worse
No exercise outside work32.7%28.3–37.624.6%24.7%Worse
Binge drinking13.9%11.7–16.515.3%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours37.4%32.4–42.735.1%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)8.5%7–10.310.6%11%Better
Checkup in the past year77.5%74.4–80.571.9%77.4%Better
Dentist visit in the past year55.6%52–59.262.8%63.2%Worse
Cholesterol check in 5 years86.6%85–88.285.4%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)78.4%75.4–81.171.3%76.5%Better
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)61.5%56.4–66.657.5%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)72.5%65–79.375.7%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression26.3%22.9–29.820.1%20.6%Worse
Feel lonely33.1%28.8–37.437.3%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support25.5%22–29.128.6%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food20.5%17.4–2417.9%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing14.8%12.6–17.114.9%12%About the same
Threatened with a utility shut-off9.9%8.6–11.37.3%7.6%Worse
Lack reliable transportation11.3%9.9–12.89.3%7.9%Worse
Received SNAP (food stamps)25.1%21.6–28.915.6%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability44.3%39.9–4930.4%30.1%Higher
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs25.9%23–29.213.8%13.6%Higher
Difficulty concentrating or remembering19%16.8–21.414.6%13.9%Higher
Hearing difficulty11.4%10.2–12.85.9%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty8.7%7.7–9.75.6%5.4%Higher
Difficulty doing errands alone13.4%11.8–15.18.1%7.9%Higher
Difficulty dressing or bathing7.2%6.4–8.13.9%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 Weldon

Is Weldon a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Weldon is healthier than 8% 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 Weldon?

CDC estimates 37.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.8% and 43.3%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Weldon?

Kern Valley Healthcare District in Lake Isabella, 5.5 miles in a straight line from Weldon’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

How many people in Weldon have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 8.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7–10.3%), 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 Weldon 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 Weldon.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.