Photo: Invictus323 · CC BY 4.0Within Utah, Salt Lake City is healthier than 45% of graded towns
Salt Lake City differs from Utah on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Salt Lake City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Salt Lake City
Utah sets a high bar
Salt Lake City is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, but only 45% of the 118 Utah towns we grade. Health Grade ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Salt Lake City doesn’t win on
16% of adults binge drink, vs 12.4% across Utah. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Salt Lake City
1 in 6 adults worry about having enough food (15.9%), vs 12.4% across Utah. Housing insecurity (12.2% vs 10%) and no reliable transportation (8.4% vs 6.9%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Salt Lake City has five hospitals within its borders
5 hospitals and 2 community health centers are inside Salt Lake City. LDS Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room, one of two five-star hospitals in town. Getting care ↓
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 Utah figure falls outside Salt Lake City’s likely range.
What’s behind Salt Lake City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Salt Lake City is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, #65 of 118 in Utah. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 97% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 30%).
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). Salt Lake City’s median household income is $75,090; among the 10,848 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$94K), it’s healthier than 95%, about where its income would put it.
At 218,428 residents, Salt Lake City is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Everyday habits, side by side with Utah
Share of adults, with the Utah figure marked.
158 miles of trails across 88 parks and preserves
Care in and near Salt Lake City
5 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Salt Lake City.
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 Salt Lake City; ≈ 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).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.9% of Salt Lake City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.1% across Utah.
Out of every 100 Salt Lake City adults…
Salt Lake City runs below UT on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Salt Lake City residents are 65 or older, vs 12% across Utah. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Keeping up with care
Share of Salt Lake City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Utah.
How Salt Lake City adults are doing
About the same as Utah on each measure.
4 in 10 Salt Lake City 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.
Salt Lake City and the towns around it
Salt Lake City’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | A− | 29.5% | 7.9% | 7.9% | CDC place |
| Millcreek | A | 28% | 8% | 6.9% | CDC place |
| South Salt Lake | B | 32.4% | 8.6% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Magna | B | 32.7% | 8.8% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| West Valley City | B− | 33.5% | 10.6% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| North Salt Lake | A | 32.5% | 7.5% | 7.1% | CDC place |
| Emigration Canyon | A+ | 26.4% | 8.2% | 5.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Salt Lake City adults live with a disability (Utah 28.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Salt Lake City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Salt Lake City is better than Utah on 5 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Utah figure falls inside Salt Lake City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Salt Lake City | UT | U.S. | vs UT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.3%14.9–17.7 | 15.5% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.9–13.1 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%16.7–19.8 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.5%26.4–32.7 | 31% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.9%7–8.7 | 8.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 25.5%23.5–27.3 | 27.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 28.5%26.4–30.6 | 30.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 18.9%17.4–20.3 | 21.7% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11%10–12.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.1%5.6–6.6 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4%3.7–4.4 | 4.7% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 4.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.4 | 2.5% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.5%8.8–12.4 | 9.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.9%7–8.9 | 8.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.4%16.5–20.4 | 17.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16%14.1–17.9 | 12.4% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.5%31.5–37.8 | 33.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.3%11–13.6 | 10.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.8%65.1–70.3 | 70.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68%65.6–70.4 | 70.3% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.7%76.8–80.3 | 80.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 62.7%60.1–65 | 65.6% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.2%61.1–67.3 | 63.1% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.9%67.9–77.6 | 72.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 28.5%26.1–30.9 | 27.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.6%33.9–39.3 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%20.4–24.6 | 20.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.9%14.5–17.4 | 12.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.2%11–13.4 | 10% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%7.1–8.8 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.4%7.6–9.2 | 6.9% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.9%6.9–8.9 | 6.1% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.2%26–30.4 | 28.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.8%8.9–10.8 | 10.3% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.7%14.4–17.1 | 15.2% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 6.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.5%4.1–4.8 | 4% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.3–7.6 | 6.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.5–3 | 2.7% | 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 Utah figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Salt Lake City
Is Salt Lake City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Salt Lake City is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #65 of 118 in Utah. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Salt Lake City?
CDC estimates 29.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.4% and 32.7%, against 31% across Utah and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Salt Lake City?
LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, 0.0 miles in a straight line from Salt Lake City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Salt Lake City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11–13.6%), against 10.5% across Utah.
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 Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Utah 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.