Los Angeles, CA is a large and diverse city with abundant health care resources. The city boasts some of the best medical facilities in the country, including renowned hospitals such as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. These hospitals are equipped with advanced technology and highly-trained staff to provide quality medical care to local residents. In addition to these locations, there are also numerous community health centers that offer accessible services at lower costs for those on a budget or without insurance coverage. These centers are staffed by professionals trained in providing preventive care, diagnosis, treatment and counseling services, making them invaluable resources for members of the community. Furthermore, there are various programs available through the county that provide low cost healthcare and prescription medications for those who qualify. With its wide array of resources, Los Angeles is able to meet the needs of its population in terms of access to quality health care.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 211 physicians per 100,000 population in Los Angeles. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Los Angeles area is 85.2 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
85.2 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Los Angeles area is 52 (100=best). The US average is 55.
52 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Los Angeles area is 95 (100=best). The US average is 87.
95 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Los Angeles commutes 30.9 minutes one-way, which is longer than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Los Angeles area is 36 (100=best). The US average is 58.
36 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.