Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Carmel-by-the-Sea is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns
Carmel-by-the-Sea differs from California on 25 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 19 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Carmel-by-the-Sea. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Carmel-by-the-Sea
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Carmel-by-the-Sea
1 in 6 adults have had cancer (15.8%), more than twice the California rate. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (33.1%), vs 20.8% across California. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.3%, vs 5.6% across California. In all, Carmel-by-the-Sea runs above California on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 58% 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea, and more people treating it
40.6% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 82% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Carmel-by-the-Sea keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.3% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (78.3% 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea’s likely range.
What’s behind Carmel-by-the-Sea’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Carmel-by-the-Sea is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns, #105 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 65%.
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). Carmel-by-the-Sea’s median household income is $129,250; among the 4,635 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($97K–$162K), it’s healthier than 84%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Carmel-by-the-Sea adults…
Carmel-by-the-Sea runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Carmel-by-the-Sea is an older town: 58% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Carmel-by-the-Sea as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Carmel-by-the-Sea adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Carmel-by-the-Sea
No hospital or community health center in Carmel-by-the-Sea 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea; ≈ 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.
3.1 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
How Carmel-by-the-Sea adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Carmel-by-the-Sea does better than California.
1 in 4 Carmel-by-the-Sea 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.
4.6% of Carmel-by-the-Sea adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Carmel-by-the-Sea and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carmel-by-the-Sea | A | 23.4% | 11.1% | 6.2% | CDC place |
| Del Monte Forest | A | 23.2% | 11.1% | 6.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Carmel-by-the-Sea adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Carmel-by-the-Sea
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Carmel-by-the-Sea is better than California on 19 and worse on 6; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Carmel-by-the-Sea’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Carmel-by-the-Sea | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.8%12.2–17.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%10–13.6 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.7%9.3–12.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 23.4%18.5–28.9 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.5–12.9 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.6%36.3–45 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.1%39.7–48.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33.1%29.3–36.9 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.2–10.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 15.8%14.4–17.3 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.3%7.2–9.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.8%4.7–7.1 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.4–4.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.3%5–7.7 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6.2%4.8–7.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.9%12.7–19.2 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 12.3%10.2–14.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 24.2%19.7–29 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.1%2.4–4 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.3%80.5–85.8 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 78.3%75.6–80.8 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 94.2%93.2–95 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 82%78.8–84.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 78.1%74–81.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.1%69.6–83.4 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18%15.3–21 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 26.5%22.4–31.1 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.2%14.4–20.2 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.1%3.9–6.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 4.3%3.5–5.3 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 2.6%2.1–3.1 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.5%2.9–4.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.6%3.3–6 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.5%22.6–30.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.8%11.5–16.4 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.6%7.3–10.1 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.8%7.7–10 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3–4.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%4.9–7.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.4–3.4 | 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea
Is Carmel-by-the-Sea a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Carmel-by-the-Sea is healthier than 93% of U.S. towns: A for health, #105 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 84%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
CDC estimates 23.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 18.5% and 28.9%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Carmel-by-the-Sea?
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in Monterey, 1.8 miles in a straight line from Carmel-by-the-Sea’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Carmel-by-the-Sea have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.4–4%), 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
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.