Descanso, CA is a rural community located in San Diego County with approximately 1,500 residents. The area boasts stunning landscapes and incredible views, but also faces certain challenges when it comes to health care. There are no local hospitals within the town of Descanso, however there are several medical facilities nearby like Pine Valley Medical Center and El Cajon Medical Center which provide quality health services and treatments to the local community. Additionally, other medical services such as clinics and dentists are available in the nearby towns of Pine Valley and Alpine for those seeking specialized care. Even though Descanso lacks direct access to a hospital, the medical facilities in neighboring towns ensure that local residents have access to quality health care when they need it.
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 233 physicians per 100,000 population in Descanso. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Descanso area is 85.4 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
85.4 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Descanso area is 75 (100=best). The US average is 55.
75 / 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 Descanso area is 98 (100=best). The US average is 87.
98 / 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 Descanso commutes 25.7 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Descanso area is 83 (100=best). The US average is 58.
83 / 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.