Photo: Chris Krylov · CC BY 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Columbia is healthier than 70%
Columbia differs from California on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Columbia. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Columbia
Cancer, COPD and heart disease run high in Columbia
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.5%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (9%), vs 5.1% across California. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.9%, vs 5.6% across California. In all, Columbia runs above California on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 33% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer, COPD and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Columbia is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Columbia is healthier than 43%. Against the 8,523 towns with similar household incomes ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 70%. Health Grade ↓
The nearest ER is 29 miles from Columbia
The closest emergency room is Sutter Amador Hospital in Jackson, 29.2 miles away in a straight line. Getting care ↓
More high blood pressure in Columbia, and more people treating it
38.7% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 78.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Columbia keeps up with checkups
It beats California on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (77% vs 71.9%) and cholesterol checks (87.2% vs 85.4%). 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 Columbia’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Columbia’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Columbia is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 84% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 19%).
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). Columbia’s median household income is $58,520; among the 8,523 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 70%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Columbia compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 6.4% (U.S. 11%).
Out of every 100 Columbia adults…
Columbia runs above CA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Columbia is an older town: 33% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Columbia as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Columbia
No hospital or community health center in Columbia 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 Columbia; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Columbia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
5.5 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Columbia adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Columbia runs above California.
1 in 3 Columbia 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.
14.6% of Columbia adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Columbia and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | C+ | 29.7% | 13.4% | 13.2% | CDC place |
| Tuttletown | — | — | — | — |
Tuttletown: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Columbia adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Columbia
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Columbia is better than California on 9 and worse on 11; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Columbia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Columbia | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.8%19.9–26.2 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.3–18.5 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%16.1–20.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.7%23.2–37.3 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.4%11.5–15.5 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.7%34.8–43.1 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.1%36.1–44.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.8%28.4–35.4 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%10–12.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.5%10.4–12.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.9%7.9–10 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9%7.7–10.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.1–5.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.3%9.1–14.1 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.2%11.1–15.6 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24.8%20.7–29.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.7%12.1–17.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.8%27.5–40.7 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.4%5.3–7.8 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77%73.5–80.4 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.2%61.7–68.7 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.2%85.5–88.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.1%75.1–81 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.4%63.4–73.5 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.8%64.8–80.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.5%22–29.4 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.2%27.4–37.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.2%19.9–26.9 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.6%11.4–16.1 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.8%9.2–12.5 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.6–7.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.3%7.2–9.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.6%12.3–17 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.9%31.5–40.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.8%16.2–21.6 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.8%13.9–17.9 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%8.1–10.3 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.2–6.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.1%8.9–11.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.2–5.4 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Columbia
Is Columbia a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Columbia is healthier than 43% of U.S. towns: C+ 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 Columbia?
CDC estimates 29.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.2% and 37.3%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Columbia?
Sutter Amador Hospital in Jackson, 29.2 miles in a straight line from Columbia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Columbia have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.3–7.8%), 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 Columbia more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Columbia.
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.