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San Bernardino makes list of worst cities for health care

San Bernardino News Daily May 14, 2024

Location matters when it comes to health.

San Bernardino, one of California’s largest geographical cities, has made the top 10 worst cities for health care, coming in at number 6, behind places like Detroit and Memphis according to WalletHub’s report published April 1.

The “Healthiest and Unhealthiest Cities in America” list for 2024 ranked 182 of the U.S.’ most populated cities, including at least two of the most populated cities in each state, across four categories — healthcare, food, fitness and green space — and also awarded the cities an overall score based on all four areas. The full methodology can be found here.

To determine the quality of healthcare in each city, the list compared factors such as the number of family physicians per capita, the quality of the public health system using CMS rankings, and the cost of a medical visit.

According to the San Bernardino County website, the city of San Bernardino is 51% Latino and around 9% Black, with a poverty rate of around 26%, almost double what U.S. national average — which was around 11-13% in 2022 — making it one of the most underserved areas in the country.

“Staying healthy is a personal responsibility, and everyone should strive to eat nutritious food, exercise regularly and look after their mental health,” said Cassandra Happe, a WalletHub analyst. “However, where people live can have a big influence on how successful they are at staying in good health, so the best cities are the ones that provide the greatest access to high-quality healthcare, green spaces, recreation centers, and healthy food.”