Photo: Eric Shalov · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, West Athens is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns
West Athens differs from California on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for West Athens. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in West Athens
Making ends meet is harder in West Athens
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (26.3%), vs 17.9% across California. Housing insecurity (23.4% vs 14.9%) and utility shut-off threats (11.4% vs 7.3%) are higher too. 25.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More West Athens adults lack emotional support
1 in 3 adults lack social or emotional support (35.2%), vs 28.6% across California. Loneliness is above the state too: 43.4%, vs 37.3% across California. Mind & connection ↓
Dental care lags in West Athens
57.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 13.6% 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 West Athens’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind West Athens’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Athens is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns, #578 of 847 in California. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 76% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). West Athens’ median household income is $67,201; among the 10,237 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 57%, about where its income would put it.
Where West Athens compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.7% (U.S. 7.9%); coronary heart disease, 5% (U.S. 6.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
25.2% of West Athens adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
How West Athens adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, West Athens runs above California.
4 in 10 West Athens 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 West Athens adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Out of every 100 West Athens adults…
West Athens runs below CA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near West Athens
No hospital or community health center in West Athens 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 West Athens; ≈ 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.
0.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
West Athens and the towns around it
West Athens’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Athens | C+ | 32.3% | 13.8% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Hawthorne | C+ | 31.1% | 13% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| Los Angeles | B− | 27.3% | 11.9% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Westmont | D | 36.6% | 16.7% | 17.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of West Athens adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for West Athens
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, West Athens is better than California on 2 and worse on 16; on the rest, the California figure falls inside West Athens’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | West Athens | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.2%24–28.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%13.2–15.8 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.7%16.1–19.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.3%29.1–35.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.8%12.5–15.1 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.5%32.4–36.6 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.4%32.2–36.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.6%19–22.2 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.6–11.7 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.7%4.2–5.1 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5%4.6–5.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.3–5.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.5–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.6%11.4–16 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%10.4–13.4 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.5%25–30.1 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.1%12.6–15.8 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.4%38.3–44.3 | 35.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.2%10.3–14.4 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.1%71.8–76.2 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.1%54.6–59.5 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.4%83.7–86.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73%70.7–75.1 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.4%52.9–59.5 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.7%75.3–83.4 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.3%16.5–20.1 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 43.4%40.7–46.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 35.2%32.6–38.2 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26.3%23.5–29 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 23.4%21.1–25.8 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.4%10.1–12.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.2%11.8–14.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 25.2%22.4–28 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.6%31–36.2 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.3%14.9–17.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.6%15–18.3 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.6%4.2–5.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 7.3%6.6–8 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.9%8.9–11 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.9–5.9 | 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 West Athens
Is West Athens a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, West Athens is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #578 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 57%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in West Athens?
CDC estimates 32.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.1% and 35.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to West Athens?
Memorial Hospital of Gardena in Gardena, 2.2 miles in a straight line from West Athens’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in West Athens have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.3–14.4%), 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 West Athens more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in West Athens.
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.