On CDC estimates, Ashland is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns
Ashland differs from California on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ashland. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ashland
Making ends meet is harder in Ashland
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (26%), vs 17.9% across California. Utility shut-off threats (11.1% vs 7.3%) and housing insecurity (21.2% vs 14.9%) are higher too. 23.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mental distress runs high in Ashland
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (18.9%), vs 16.4% across California. Lack of emotional support is above the state too: 32.9%, vs 28.6% across California. Mind & connection ↓
Dental care lags in Ashland
54.1% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 13.9% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). 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 Ashland’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Ashland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ashland is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns, #590 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 88% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Ashland’s median household income is $81,702; among the 10,640 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$102K), it’s healthier than 35%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Ashland compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 31.6% (U.S. 37.1%); arthritis, 18.4% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 4.1% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
23.6% of Ashland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
How Ashland adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Ashland runs above California.
2 in 5 Ashland 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.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ashland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Out of every 100 Ashland adults…
Ashland runs below CA on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Ashland residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Ashland
2 community health centers in Ashland, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Ashland; ≈ 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.
0.2 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Ashland and the towns around it
Ashland’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 5 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland | C+ | 28.4% | 12.8% | 13.4% | CDC place |
| Cherryland | C+ | 29% | 12.4% | 13% | CDC place |
| San Leandro | B+ | 24% | 12.8% | 11% | CDC place |
| Castro Valley | A− | 22.9% | 10.9% | 9.6% | CDC place |
| San Lorenzo | B+ | 24.6% | 12.1% | 10.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ashland adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ashland
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ashland is better than California on 4 and worse on 16; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Ashland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ashland | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.7%23.2–28.5 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.9–16.1 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%17.1–21 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.4%24.2–33.2 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11.3–14.4 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 29.1%26.2–32.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.6%28.6–34.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 18.4%16.3–20.6 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.7–11 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5%4.5–5.6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.9%11.5–16.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.4%11.7–15.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.1%24.6–31.8 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.5–18.5 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.4%35.2–43.8 | 35.1% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.4%11.7–15.2 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.5%66.1–73 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.1%50.9–57.3 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83%81.1–84.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.3%64.1–70.6 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 52.3%47.8–56.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.3%64.1–77.8 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.1%17.5–23 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 42.1%37.8–46.6 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32.9%29.2–36.7 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26%23.2–29.1 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 21.2%18.8–23.8 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.1%9.7–12.5 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.9%11.5–14.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 23.6%21.2–26.3 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.6%30.1–37.2 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.4%12.8–16.1 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.1%15.4–18.9 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.1%4.6–5.7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6.3–7.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.4%8.5–10.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.1–4.9 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Ashland
Is Ashland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ashland is healthier than 42% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #590 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 35%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ashland?
CDC estimates 28.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.2% and 33.2%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ashland?
Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, 1.6 miles in a straight line from Ashland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ashland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.7–15.2%), 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 Ashland more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ashland.
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.