Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fresno is healthier than 25%
Fresno differs from Texas on 11 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fresno. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fresno
Making ends meet is harder in Fresno
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.2%), vs 19.3% across Texas. Housing insecurity (22.3% vs 16.4%) and utility shut-off threats (14.3% vs 10.7%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Fresno trails towns with similar incomes
Fresno is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns, and only 25% of the 9,825 towns with similar household incomes ($68K–$114K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Fresno
Fresno runs below Texas on cancer (3.6% vs 6.1%), heart disease (4% vs 5.6%) and COPD (4.4% vs 5.7%). A young population is part of it: only 7% of residents are 65 or older (Texas 13%). Conditions ↓
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 Texas figure falls outside Fresno’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Fresno’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fresno is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns, #275 of 641 in Texas. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 79% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 26%).
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). Fresno’s median household income is $91,264; among the 9,825 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($68K–$114K), it’s healthier than 25%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Few Texas towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Fresno is healthier than 57% of graded towns, against 42% nationally.
Where Fresno compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 30.8% (U.S. 37.1%); arthritis, 18.4% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 3.6% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.8% of Fresno adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.6% across Texas.
Out of every 100 Fresno adults…
Fresno runs below TX on 5 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 7% of Fresno residents are 65 or older, vs 13% across Texas. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Fresno
No hospital or community health center in Fresno 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 Fresno; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Texas
Share of adults, with the Texas figure marked.
0.9 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fresno adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Texas.
How Fresno adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Fresno runs above Texas.
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.
Fresno and the towns around it
Fresno’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno | C+ | 38.8% | 12.8% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| Houston | C+ | 38% | 13.9% | 13.6% | CDC place |
| Missouri City | B+ | 32.6% | 14.1% | 10.3% | CDC place |
| Arcola | B | 35.3% | 12.2% | 10.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fresno adults live with a disability (Texas 30.9%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fresno
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fresno is better than Texas on 5 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Texas figure falls inside Fresno’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fresno | TX | U.S. | vs TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.5%19.8–25.4 | 21.8% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.8–13.8 | 13.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16.1–20.3 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.8%31.7–46.6 | 35.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11.2–14.6 | 12.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.7%29.9–37.8 | 33.1% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.8%27.1–34.9 | 35.1% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 18.4%16–21.1 | 21.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.7–12.3 | 9.5% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.6%3.2–4 | 6.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4%3.6–4.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 5.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3%2.7–3.2 | 3.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.4%9.3–14 | 12.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.6%10.8–14.6 | 12.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.4%25.1–34 | 27.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%12.8–18.6 | 17% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 43.2%36.7–49.9 | 38.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 19.3%17–21.9 | 19.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.4%70.7–78.2 | 73.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.9%52.2–59.6 | 54.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%83.4–87 | 84.6% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73%69.8–76.1 | 74.1% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.8%50.6–61 | 57.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.6%72.7–85.5 | 74.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.5%15.7–21.7 | 21.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 33.8%29.8–37.9 | 28.4% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.2%21.1–25.4 | 19.3% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 22.3%20.1–24.7 | 16.4% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.3%12.8–16 | 10.7% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.3%11.3–13.5 | 10.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.8%15.1–18.6 | 14.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.4%24.6–32.4 | 30.9% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.9%11.3–14.7 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.6%13.8–17.4 | 15.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 3.9%3.4–4.4 | 6.3% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.1%5.6–6.8 | 6.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.5–9.4 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.2%3.8–4.7 | 4% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Texas figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Fresno
Is Fresno a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fresno is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #275 of 641 in Texas. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fresno?
CDC estimates 38.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.7% and 46.6%, against 35.6% across Texas and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fresno?
Houston Methodist Sugarland Hospital in Sugar Land, 10.3 miles in a straight line from Fresno’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fresno have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 19.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 17–21.9%), against 19.1% across Texas.
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 Fresno 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 Fresno.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Texas 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.