Photo: Egaowakaii · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Colfax is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Colfax differs from California on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Colfax. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Colfax
Cancer, depression and arthritis run high in Colfax
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (8.7%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (24.5%), vs 20.1% across California. Arthritis is also above the state: 24.6%, vs 20.8% across California. In all, Colfax runs above California on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Fewer Colfax adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below California. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Colfax is an active town
Only 19.4% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. 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 Colfax’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Colfax’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Colfax is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 89% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). Colfax’s median household income is $72,788; among the 10,708 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$91K), it’s healthier than 90%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Colfax adults…
Colfax runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Colfax residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Diabetes run low partly because the town is young.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.5% of Colfax adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Care in and near Colfax
No hospital or community health center in Colfax 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 Colfax; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Colfax adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Colfax adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Colfax runs above California.
1 in 3 Colfax 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.
Colfax and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colfax | A− | 28.9% | 9.2% | 11.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Colfax adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Colfax
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Colfax is better than California on 11 and worse on 4; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Colfax’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Colfax | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.6%14.7–20.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.4–15.4 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%15.7–20.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.9%22.9–35.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.2%7.7–10.7 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.5%27.7–35.4 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.8%30.9–38.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.6%21.6–27.7 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.9%9.6–12.3 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.8–9.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5–6.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.8%4.8–6.9 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.7–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.5%7.5–11.8 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.5%9.1–14.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.4%15.6–23.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.2%15.2–21.6 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.6%27.1–38.2 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.6%4.4–7 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.3%68.5–76 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.7%63.3–70 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.1%84–88.2 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.2%67.6–74.4 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.8%61.8–71.6 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.3%71.5–84.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.5%20.9–28.3 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33.8%29–39 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24%20.3–28 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11%8.8–13.7 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.1–12 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.5%4.6–6.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.9%5.8–8.2 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.5%8.3–13.2 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.7%24.3–33.4 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.5%10.4–14.7 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.2–16.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.4–7.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.5–4.7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.7%6.6–9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.8–3.7 | 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 Colfax
Is Colfax a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Colfax is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 90%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Colfax?
CDC estimates 28.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.9% and 35.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Colfax?
Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital in Grass Valley, 10.6 miles in a straight line from Colfax’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Colfax have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.4–7%), 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 Colfax 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 Colfax.
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.