Health · Flagstaff

Flagstaff, AZ health

Flagstaff differs from Arizona on 23 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults with heart disease (3.7% vs 6.4%) and fewer adults with diabetes (6.6% vs 11.3%). Where it trails the state: more adults without reliable transportation (12% vs 8.7%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Flagstaff
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Flagstaff’s Health Grade: A−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Flagstaff is healthier than 83% of U.S. towns and 82% of Arizona towns.

B+Self-rated healthAPhysical distressDMental distressA+ObesityA+DiabetesASmokingA+Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 83%
Less healthyHealthier
Arizona towns we grade (207)Healthier than 82%
Towns with similar incomes, $54K–$89K (9,697)Healthier than 96%

About what its income would suggest. Flagstaff does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Flagstaff could be anywhere from B+ to A.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Arizona ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Flagstaff with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Flagstaff uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Flagstaff compares with Arizona

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Flagstaff adults…

22 of every 100 Flagstaff adults have high blood pressure
Arizona: 33 in 100 · better · margin 19.6–24%

Bars show Flagstaff; the black tick is Arizona. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Flagstaff, betterFlagstaff, worseToo close to callArizona
Get no exerciseshare of adults 15% Flagstaff
AZ 21.9%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 31.9% Flagstaff
AZ 35.2%
Binge drinkshare of adults 17.6% Flagstaff
AZ 15.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 9.7% Flagstaff
AZ 11.4%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

66%
Yearly checkup
AZ 74%
59%
Dentist visit
AZ 60%
76%
Cholesterol check
AZ 85%
58%
Colon screening
AZ 60%
67%
Mammogram
AZ 73%
61%
Taking BP meds
AZ 74%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Flagstaff 10.7% · Arizona 1 in 8 (13.2%)
Mind & connection

How Flagstaff adults are doing

1 in 3Flagstaff adults feel lonely
34.7% · Arizona 32% · too close to call
1 in 4Flagstaff adults have been diagnosed with depression
24.4% · Arizona 19.5% · worse
1 in 4Flagstaff adults lack social or emotional support
25.2% · Arizona 25.7% · too close to call
1 in 5Flagstaff adults are in frequent mental distress
20.2% · Arizona 15.4% · worse
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 6
Flagstaff adults worry about having enough food
18.1% · AZ 15.8% · worse
1 in 8
Flagstaff adults worry about keeping their housing
13.1% · AZ 12% · about the same
1 in 11
Flagstaff adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.3% · AZ 7.2% · worse
1 in 8
Flagstaff adults lack reliable transportation
12% · AZ 8.7% · worse

14.3% of Flagstaff adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.1% across Arizona.

Disability

Living with a disability

28.6%

of Flagstaff adults live with a disability (Arizona 31.5%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs8.3%
Thinking or memory17.9%
Hearing5.6%
Errands alone9%
Vision5.4%
Dressing or bathing2.9%

Black tick: Arizona. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Flagstaff

Flagstaff and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Flagstaff.

Fort Valley: 21.6% Doney Park: 22.2% Bellemont: 21% Mountain View Ranches: 22.4% Timberline-Fernwood: 22.5% Flagstaff: 22.4% Flagstaff Fort Valley Doney Park Flagstaff Medical Center · Flagstaff · 2.1 mi · 4★ MedicareH Elk Ridge - Flagstaff Clinic · Flagstaff · 2.2 mi+
21%22.5%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#4 of 6towns on this map, healthiest first
Fort Valley21.6%
Doney Park22.2%
Flagstaff22.4%
6 places to get careNearest ER 2.1 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Flagstaff

1 hospital and 1 community health center in Flagstaff, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERFlagstaff Medical CenterFlagstaff · 2.1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyVerde Valley Medical Center★★★★★ · 38.9 miDirections →
+Low-cost careEl Rio Santa Cruz Neighborhood Health CenterFlagstaff · 2.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.1 mi
Flagstaff Medical Center
Flagstaff · ★★★★★
ERIn Flagstaff
2.2 mi
El Rio Santa Cruz Neighborhood Health Center
5 sites · nearest in Flagstaff
Sliding-scale feesIn Flagstaff
Directions to nearest
38.5 mi
Yavapai County Government Prescott
3 sites · nearest in Cottonwood
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
38.9 mi
Verde Valley Medical Center
Cottonwood · ★★★★★
ER
53.5 mi
Little Colorado Medical Center
Winslow · not rated
ERRural critical access
61.4 mi
Exceptional Community Hospital Prescott
Prescott · not rated
ER
! Primary carePart of Flagstaff is a federal shortage area for some residents.Flagstaff/Doney Park · need score 15 of 25
! Dental carePart of Flagstaff is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Flagstaff/Doney Park · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthPart of Flagstaff is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Flagstaff/Doney Park · need score 12 of 25

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 Flagstaff. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Flagstaff
MeasureFlagstaffMarginArizona
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure21.6%19.6–24%32.8%better
High cholesterol27.5%25.1–30%37.3%better
Obesity22.4%19–26.3%31.3%better
Arthritis16.6%15–18.3%25.2%better
Depression24.4%21.6–27.4%19.5%worse
Lost all teeth (65+)9.9%8.1–11.8%14.7%better
Asthma11.6%10.4–13%10.4%about the same
Cancer (not skin)5.3%4.9–5.8%8.8%better
Diabetes6.6%5.8–7.4%11.3%better
COPD4.8%4.4–5.4%6.6%better
Heart disease3.7%3.4–4.1%6.4%better
Stroke2.2%2–2.3%3.4%better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes9.7%8.5–11.2%11.4%better
Binge drink17.6%15.1–20.3%15.3%about the same
Get no exercise15%13–17.4%21.9%better
Sleep under 7 hours31.9%27.9–35.9%35.2%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup66.1%62.6–69.6%73.9%worse
Dentist visit58.8%55.7–61.8%59.9%about the same
Cholesterol check76%73.7–78.3%85.1%worse
Colon screening57.5%53.4–61.3%60.2%about the same
Mammogram67.4%60.9–73.2%72.7%about the same
Taking BP meds60.7%57.9–63.4%73.9%worse
No health insurance10.7%9.4–12.2%13.2%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely34.7%31.2–38.3%32%about the same
Lack emotional support25.2%22.4–28.2%25.7%about the same
Frequent mental distress20.2%18.3–22.3%15.4%worse
Fair or poor health16.9%15.2–18.9%19.5%better
Frequent physical distress11.3%10.1–12.6%13%better
Everyday needs
Food insecurity18.1%16–20.4%15.8%worse
Housing insecurity13.1%11.5–14.9%12%about the same
Utility shut-off threat9.3%8.2–10.5%7.2%worse
No reliable transportation12%10.8–13.4%8.7%worse
Receive SNAP14.3%12.5–16.2%11.1%
Disability
Any disability28.6%25.8–31.7%31.5%
Walking or climbing stairs8.3%7.3–9.3%13.8%
Thinking or memory17.9%16.3–19.9%14.2%
Hearing5.6%5–6.2%8.1%
Vision5.4%5–5.9%5.5%
Dressing or bathing2.9%2.7–3.2%3.7%
Errands alone9%8.1–10%7.6%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Flagstaff door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Arizona figure falls inside it, we don't call Flagstaff better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Flagstaff directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Arizona figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01