Diabetes rates have been on the rise for the last two decades, and show no sign of abating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 11.3% of the U.S. population suffers from diabetes—though many of those affected do not know they have the chronic illness.
Diabetes was the 8th leading cause of death in 2020, but the disease does not impact all Americans equally. Instead, variables like poverty level, geographic region, and race all influence diabetes rates, meaning some Americans are disproportionately impacted by the disease.
The Southeastern portion of the U.S. has a particularly high concentration of counties with elevated diabetes rates, with parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, and nearly all of Louisiana, along with other states, facing some of the highest rates. Studies have shown that lack of access to healthy, affordable foods and health care services, exposure to environmental toxins, and other health hazards associated with poverty and systemic racism contribute to the increased likelihood of developing diabetes. These same conditions also mean that poor, non-white Americans are more likely to endure complications and have higher mortality rates from diabetes than wealthier white Americans with the disease.
The proportion of young people with diabetes is projected to increase over the next several decades, with racial, geographic, and socioeconomic disparities only growing larger if trends continue. Using 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Stacker identified the counties in California with the highest percentage of adults with diabetes. Ties were broken by the broader Quality of Life rank provided by the analysis, which includes other poor physical and mental health indicators. The age-adjusted diabetes rate was obtained through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
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Susan Popielaski // Wikimedia Commons
1 / 25#25. Alpine County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #30
--- Quality of life rank: #38
--- Length of life rank: #29
- Estimated county population: 1,119
Finetooth // Wikimedia Commons
2 / 25#24. Lassen County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #48
--- Quality of life rank: #52
--- Length of life rank: #38
- Estimated county population: 30,016
Scott Burley // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 25#23. Modoc County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #55
--- Quality of life rank: #53
--- Length of life rank: #56
- Estimated county population: 8,763
Chmee2 // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 25#22. Siskiyou County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 10% (1 point higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #57
--- Quality of life rank: #57
--- Length of life rank: #55
- Estimated county population: 43,245
Michael Patrick // Wikimedia Commons
5 / 25#21. San Benito County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #18
--- Quality of life rank: #21
--- Length of life rank: #17
- Estimated county population: 64,055
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6 / 25#20. Riverside County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #25
--- Quality of life rank: #30
--- Length of life rank: #22
- Estimated county population: 2,489,188
BDS2006 // Wikimedia
7 / 25#19. Los Angeles County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #24
--- Quality of life rank: #33
--- Length of life rank: #21
- Estimated county population: 9,943,046
Ray Bouknight // Wikicommons
8 / 25#18. Sutter County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #35
--- Quality of life rank: #39
--- Length of life rank: #37
- Estimated county population: 96,385
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District // Wikimedia Commons
9 / 25#17. Yuba County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #49
--- Quality of life rank: #41
--- Length of life rank: #50
- Estimated county population: 80,160
#16. Del Norte County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #51
--- Quality of life rank: #43
--- Length of life rank: #51
- Estimated county population: 27,968
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Frank Schulenburg // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 25#15. Tehama County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #52
--- Quality of life rank: #45
--- Length of life rank: #53
- Estimated county population: 64,494
CFang // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 25#14. Lake County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 11% (2 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #56
--- Quality of life rank: #50
--- Length of life rank: #57
- Estimated county population: 64,479
Calilover // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 25#13. Monterey County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #21
--- Quality of life rank: #26
--- Length of life rank: #18
- Estimated county population: 430,906
CleanWater17 // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 25#12. Colusa County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #27
--- Quality of life rank: #28
--- Length of life rank: #27
- Estimated county population: 21,558
Trance addict // Wikimedia Commons
16 / 25#10. Glenn County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #40
--- Quality of life rank: #37
--- Length of life rank: #44
- Estimated county population: 28,283
LPS.1 // Wikicommons
17 / 25#9. San Joaquin County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #42
--- Quality of life rank: #47
--- Length of life rank: #40
- Estimated county population: 767,967
#8. San Bernardino County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 12% (3 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #43
--- Quality of life rank: #49
--- Length of life rank: #39
- Estimated county population: 2,189,183
Armona // Wikicommons
19 / 25#7. Kings County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #32
--- Quality of life rank: #44
--- Length of life rank: #26
- Estimated county population: 152,692
Mark Miller // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 25#6. Merced County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #38
--- Quality of life rank: #46
--- Length of life rank: #34
- Estimated county population: 279,252
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#5. Madera County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #37
--- Quality of life rank: #48
--- Length of life rank: #32
- Estimated county population: 157,761
nickchapman // Wikicommons
22 / 25#4. Kern County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 13% (4 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #53
--- Quality of life rank: #56
--- Length of life rank: #49
- Estimated county population: 901,362
David Jordan // Wikicommons
23 / 25#3. Fresno County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (5 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #45
--- Quality of life rank: #51
--- Length of life rank: #36
- Estimated county population: 1,000,918
#2. Tulare County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 14% (5 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #47
--- Quality of life rank: #55
--- Length of life rank: #33
- Estimated county population: 468,680
Rman 348 // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 25#1. Imperial County
- Estimated percentage of adults with diabetes: 15% (6 points higher than state percentage)
- Health outcomes statewide rank: #33
--- Quality of life rank: #40
--- Length of life rank: #31
- Estimated county population: 180,267
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