More than half of undocumented residents on the Central Coast lacked health insurance in 2021, compared to nine percent of all residents. The gap means some communities can access adequate medical care when they need it while others cannot.

In 2021, 52 percent of undocumented residents had no health insurance. Among undocumented seniors aged 65 and older, 80 percent lacked coverage, compared to just one percent of all seniors in that age group. Among working-age adults, 54 percent of undocumented residents aged 18 to 64 had no insurance, compared to 13 percent of all working-age adults.

Health insurance determines whether people can see a doctor for routine care, manage chronic conditions with medication, or get preventive screenings. Without insurance, medical care becomes unaffordable for most families. The uninsured rate among undocumented seniors means the vast majority navigate aging and health issues without regular access to healthcare.

Insights & Analyses: Central Coast

• Immigrants make up about one-fifth of residents in the Central Coast (20 percent).
• Over a quarter of residents in the Central Coast are U.S.-born Latinx (28 percent).
• Latinx immigrants make up 13 percent of the total population, followed by Asian American immigrants and white immigrants, which make up three percent each.