Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Blue Lake is healthier than 96%
Blue Lake differs from California on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Blue Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Blue Lake
Blue Lake is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Blue Lake is healthier than 72%. Against the 6,991 towns with similar household incomes ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 96%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, depression and arthritis run high in Blue Lake
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.5%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (25.9%), vs 20.1% across California. Arthritis is also above the state: 26.8%, vs 20.8% across California. In all, Blue Lake runs above California on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Blue Lake keeps up with checkups
It beats California on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (66.5% vs 62.8%) and cholesterol checks (88% vs 85.4%). Checkups ↓
Nearly everyone in Blue Lake is insured
Only 5% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 10.6% across California. 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 Blue Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Blue Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Blue Lake is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 86% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 37%).
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). Blue Lake’s median household income is $53,594; among the 6,991 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 96%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Blue Lake adults…
Blue Lake runs above CA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Blue Lake is an older town: 38% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. COPD, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Blue Lake as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Blue Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Blue Lake
No hospital or community health center in Blue Lake 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 Blue Lake; ≈ 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.
3.4 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Blue Lake adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Blue Lake runs above California.
1 in 3 Blue Lake 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.
11.7% of Blue Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Blue Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Lake | B+ | 30.3% | 10.3% | 12.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Blue Lake adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Blue Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Blue Lake is better than California on 12 and worse on 5; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Blue Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Blue Lake | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.3%15.4–21.7 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.7–15.6 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.7–20.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.3%24.3–36.9 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.3%8.7–11.8 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.3%28.5–36.1 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.5%32.6–40.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.8%23.6–30 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.8–12.3 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.5–10.5 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.4–7.1 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.5%5.2–8 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.3%2.9–3.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.6%6.8–10.7 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.2%9.4–15.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.5%15.9–23.9 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.3%14.5–20.4 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.4%26.5–38.6 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5%3.8–6.3 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.9%70.2–77.3 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.5%62.9–69.7 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88%86.2–89.7 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.8%70.4–76.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.5%60.3–70.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.5%70.2–83.6 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.9%22.3–29.6 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 31.5%26.6–36.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.8%19.2–26.9 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.4%8.8–14.4 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.1%8.1–12.2 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5–7.2 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7%5.8–8.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.7%8.9–14.9 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.2%25–33.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.5%11.2–16.1 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%11.7–15.9 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.3 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.7–5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%6.7–9.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.5%3–4.2 | 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 Blue Lake
Is Blue Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Blue Lake is healthier than 72% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Blue Lake?
CDC estimates 30.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.3% and 36.9%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Blue Lake?
Mad River Community Hospital in Arcata, 5.3 miles in a straight line from Blue Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Blue Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.8–6.3%), 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 Blue Lake more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Blue Lake.
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.