Photo: John Pilge · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Boulder Creek is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Boulder Creek differs from California on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Boulder Creek. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Boulder Creek
Binge drinking is the habit Boulder Creek doesn’t win on
18.6% of adults binge drink, vs 15.3% across California, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Cancer and depression run high in Boulder Creek
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.1%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (24.3%), vs 20.1% across California. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Boulder Creek is an active town
Only 17% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 25 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
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 Boulder Creek’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A+.
What’s behind Boulder Creek’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Boulder Creek is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #196 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 94% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 61%.
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). Boulder Creek’s median household income is $84,156; among the 10,467 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$105K), it’s healthier than 93%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
25 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Boulder Creek adults…
Boulder Creek runs below CA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Boulder Creek is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Boulder Creek as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Boulder Creek
No hospital or community health center in Boulder Creek 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 Boulder Creek; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Boulder Creek adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Boulder Creek adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Boulder Creek runs above California.
1 in 3 Boulder Creek 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.
8.5% of Boulder Creek adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Boulder Creek and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder Creek | A | 26.1% | 9.3% | 10.7% | CDC place |
| Brookdale | A | 25.3% | 8.9% | 9.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Boulder Creek adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Boulder Creek
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Boulder Creek is better than California on 13 and worse on 3; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Boulder Creek’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Boulder Creek | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.6%14.1–19.4 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.6%10.9–14.5 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.3–18.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.1%20.2–32.2 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.3%7.9–10.9 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.4%27.5–35.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.3%32.1–40.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.8%20.8–27 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.2–11.8 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.2–10.1 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%4.9–6.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.5%4.6–6.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.9%2.6–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.3%5–7.8 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.7%8.6–12.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 17%13.7–20.5 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.6%15.4–21.8 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.9%26.4–37.8 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5%4–6.1 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.9%69–76.5 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.1%67.9–74.1 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%87.2–90.3 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.2%68.4–75.7 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69%64.2–73.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.3%75–86.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.3%20.7–28 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.9%28.2–38.1 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.1%18.7–25.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.3%7.5–11.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.8%7.3–10.5 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5%4.2–6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6%5.1–7 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.5%6.8–10.6 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.9%22–30 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.8%9.9–13.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.3%10.6–14.1 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.7%4.9–6.5 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–4.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.7%5.8–7.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.1%2.7–3.6 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Boulder Creek
Is Boulder Creek a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Boulder Creek is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #196 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 93%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Boulder Creek?
CDC estimates 26.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.2% and 32.2%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Boulder Creek?
Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister, 12.6 miles in a straight line from Boulder Creek’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Boulder Creek have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4–6.1%), 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 Boulder Creek 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 Boulder Creek.
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.