On CDC estimates, Alta Sierra is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Alta Sierra differs from California on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Alta Sierra. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Alta Sierra
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Alta Sierra
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.9%), about twice the California rate. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.7%), vs 20.8% across California. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.3%, vs 5.6% across California. In all, Alta Sierra runs above California on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Alta Sierra, and more people treating it
36.4% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 77.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Alta Sierra keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (77.2% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (68.9% vs 62.8%). Checkups ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the California figure falls outside Alta Sierra’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
What’s behind Alta Sierra’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alta Sierra is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns, #208 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 93% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 64%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Alta Sierra’s median household income is $105,603; among the 7,787 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($79K–$132K), it’s healthier than 78%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Alta Sierra adults…
Alta Sierra runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Alta Sierra is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Alta Sierra as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Alta Sierra adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Alta Sierra
No hospital or community health center in Alta Sierra itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Alta Sierra; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
2.8 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Alta Sierra adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Alta Sierra does better than California.
3 in 10 Alta Sierra adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.2% of Alta Sierra adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Alta Sierra and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alta Sierra | A− | 26.4% | 10.6% | 10% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Alta Sierra adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Alta Sierra
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Alta Sierra is better than California on 15 and worse on 6; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Alta Sierra’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Alta Sierra | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.9%14.1–20.2 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.4–15.4 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.1–17.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.4%20–33.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.6%9–12.5 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.4%32.1–41 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%33.9–43.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.7%26.1–33.4 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9–11.7 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.9%10.7–13.2 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.3–8.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.5%5.3–7.9 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.2–4.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.9%6.2–9.9 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10%7.9–12.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.2%14.5–22.7 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%12.8–18.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.8%25–37.3 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.5%3.5–5.7 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.2%73.3–80.6 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.9%65.6–72.3 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.6%89–91.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.7%74.2–80.7 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.2%64.1–74.1 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.2%72.1–85.2 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23%19.4–26.8 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.3%25.3–35.5 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21%17.6–24.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.3%6.6–10.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.6%6.1–9.1 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.4%3.6–5.3 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.3%4.5–6.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.2%6.4–10.5 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.7%25.1–34.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%11.6–16.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.9%10.1–13.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.6–8.8 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.4–4.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6–8.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.8–3.9 | 3.9% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the California figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Alta Sierra
Is Alta Sierra a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alta Sierra is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #208 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 78%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Alta Sierra?
CDC estimates 26.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 20% and 33.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Alta Sierra?
Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital in Grass Valley, 7.1 miles in a straight line from Alta Sierra’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Alta Sierra have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.5–5.7%), against 10.6% across California.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Alta Sierra more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Alta Sierra.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The California figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.