Photo: Toglenn · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Yucca Valley is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns
Yucca Valley differs from California on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Yucca Valley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Yucca Valley
COPD, heart disease and arthritis run high in Yucca Valley
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.8%), vs 5.1% across California. 1 in 12 adults have heart disease (8.5%), vs 5.6% across California. Arthritis is also above the state: 30.8%, vs 20.8% across California. In all, Yucca Valley runs above California on ten of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Depression is more common in Yucca Valley
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (23.2%), vs 20.1% across California. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.7%, vs 16.4% across California. Mind & connection ↓
Smoking is more common in Yucca Valley
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.4%), vs 10.9% across California. Habits ↓
Yucca Valley is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Yucca Valley is healthier than 30%. Against the 8,788 towns with similar household incomes ($45K–$74K), it’s healthier than 48%. 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 Yucca Valley’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Yucca Valley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Yucca Valley is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns, #654 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 66% 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). Yucca Valley’s median household income is $59,563; among the 8,788 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$74K), it’s healthier than 48%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Yucca Valley adults…
Yucca Valley runs above CA on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
How Yucca Valley adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Yucca Valley runs above California.
4 in 10 Yucca Valley 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
88 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
Care in and near Yucca Valley
1 community health center in Yucca Valley, 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 Yucca Valley; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Yucca Valley 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.
20.4% of Yucca Valley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Yucca Valley and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yucca Valley | C | 34% | 13.5% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| Joshua Tree | C+ | 33.4% | 12.8% | 14.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Yucca Valley adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Yucca Valley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Yucca Valley is better than California on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Yucca Valley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Yucca Valley | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.5%23.8–29.2 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15–18.5 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.8–20.7 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34%29.7–38.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.5%11.9–15.2 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.1%35.9–42 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.7%35.4–42 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.8%28–33.5 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.4 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.5–10.2 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.5%7.7–9.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.8%7.8–9.9 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4.2–4.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.8%10.4–15.5 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%13.4–17.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.8%22.7–29.1 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.7%12.5–17 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.7%32.7–41.1 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.2%7.9–10.6 | 10.6% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.4%70.2–76.4 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.3%52.1–58.5 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.8%84.2–87.4 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.7%71.8–77.4 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.3%55.9–64.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.1%64.4–77.6 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%20.4–26 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35.9%32.1–39.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.7%23.6–30 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.8%16.5–21.3 | 17.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.3%12.5–16.1 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.2%7.1–9.3 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.1%9–11.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.4%18–22.9 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.6%32.2–39 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.3%16.3–20.3 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.9%15.1–18.7 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.5–9.3 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6.2–7.4 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.8%9.6–11.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.8–5.8 | 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 Yucca Valley
Is Yucca Valley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Yucca Valley is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #654 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 48%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Yucca Valley?
CDC estimates 34% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.7% and 38.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Yucca Valley?
Hi-Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree, 8.3 miles in a straight line from Yucca Valley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Yucca Valley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.9–10.6%), 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 Yucca Valley 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 Yucca Valley.
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.