Photo: Don DeBold from San Jose, CA, USA · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Capitola is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Capitola differs from California on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Capitola. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Capitola
Cancer, arthritis and COPD run high in Capitola
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.5%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have arthritis (25.1%), vs 20.8% across California. COPD is also above the state: 6.1%, vs 5.1% across California. In all, Capitola runs above California on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Capitola keeps up with checkups
It beats California on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (67.3% vs 62.8%) and cholesterol checks (88% vs 85.4%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Capitola adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below California. 1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Capitola’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Capitola’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Capitola is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, #291 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 93% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 50%).
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). Capitola’s median household income is $102,976; among the 8,125 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($77K–$129K), it’s healthier than 64%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Capitola adults…
Capitola runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Capitola adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.4% of Capitola adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Care in and near Capitola
No hospital or community health center in Capitola 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 Capitola; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
2.3 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
How Capitola adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Capitola runs above California.
1 in 3 Capitola 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.
Capitola and the towns around it
Capitola’s Health Grade ranks 4th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capitola | A− | 26.4% | 10.8% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Live Oak | B+ | 26.9% | 10.8% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Soquel | A | 25% | 9.7% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| Pleasure Point | A | 25.7% | 9.3% | 9.6% | CDC place |
| Seacliff | A | 25.6% | 9.8% | 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 Capitola adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Capitola
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Capitola is better than California on 11 and worse on 5; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Capitola’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Capitola | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.5%17–22.1 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.9–15.2 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.2%14.3–18.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.4%20.8–32.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.4–12.3 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.4%29.7–37.1 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.1%32.9–41.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.1%22.2–28 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.6–10.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.8–7.2 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.1%5.3–7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.7%5.3–8.3 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%8.8–12.3 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 20.2%16.9–23.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.4%13.6–19.4 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32%26.5–37.9 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7%5.8–8.2 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.7%70–77.1 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.3%63.9–70.6 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88%86.5–89.4 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.5%71.3–77.5 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68%63.1–72.5 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.4%72.7–85.1 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.5%20.2–27 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33.3%28.5–38.1 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%18.7–25.3 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.1%10.2–14.2 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.3%8.8–12 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5.1–6.9 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.2%6.3–8.2 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.4%9.6–13.4 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.3%25.6–33.1 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.2%12.2–16.1 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.1%11.6–14.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.7%6–7.5 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.9–8.8 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%3.2–4.1 | 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 Capitola
Is Capitola a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Capitola is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #291 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 64%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Capitola?
CDC estimates 26.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.8% and 32.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Capitola?
Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, 1.9 miles in a straight line from Capitola’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Capitola have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–8.2%), 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 Capitola 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 Capitola.
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.