Valencia Hall · Photo: Mrwrite · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Day Valley is healthier than 49%
Day Valley differs from California on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Day Valley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Day Valley
Cancer and arthritis run high in Day Valley
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.3%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have arthritis (26.4%), vs 20.8% across California. In all, Day Valley runs above California on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 35% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Day Valley’s lead shrinks
Day Valley is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, but 49% of the 2,452 towns with similar household incomes ($116K–$194K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Day Valley keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (75.9% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (73.1% vs 62.8%). Checkups ↓
Day Valley is an active town
Only 17.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 23 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 Day Valley’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Day Valley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Day Valley is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, #145 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 96% of towns); the weakest is fair or poor health, still better than 74%.
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). Day Valley’s median household income is $155,000; among the 2,452 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($116K–$194K), it’s healthier than 49%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Day Valley adults…
Day Valley runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Day Valley is an older town: 35% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Day Valley as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Day Valley 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.
23 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Day Valley
No hospital or community health center in Day Valley 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 Day Valley; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Day Valley adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Day Valley does better than California.
1 in 3 Day Valley 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.
7.1% of Day Valley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Day Valley and the towns around it
Day Valley’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Valley | A | 24.4% | 10.4% | 8.6% | CDC place |
| Aptos | A | 24.2% | 9.8% | 8.2% | CDC place |
| Corralitos | A− | 26.2% | 11.1% | 10.3% | CDC place |
| Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley | A− | 25.9% | 11% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Watsonville | C | 32% | 13.7% | 13.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Day Valley adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Day Valley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Day Valley is better than California on 17 and worse on 3; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Day Valley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Day Valley | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.5%14.1–18.9 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.8–14.1 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.2%12.5–16.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.4%19.1–30.1 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.4%8.9–12 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%30.5–38.4 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39%34.9–43.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.4%23.3–29.7 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.6–11 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.3%10.2–12.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6–7.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.6%4.7–6.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.6%6.1–9.3 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.6%7–10.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.2%14–20.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.5–19.1 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.4%24.3–35.1 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.2%4.3–6.3 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.9%72.4–79.2 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.1%70.1–76.1 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.5%89.2–91.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.8%73.5–79.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.9%67.3–76.1 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.5%73.9–85.9 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22%18.9–25.3 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.4%27–36.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.5%17.7–23.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.1%6.8–9.6 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.4%6.3–8.6 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.2%3.6–4.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.2%4.5–5.9 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.1%5.9–8.4 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27%23.2–30.8 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.9%11–14.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.9%9.5–12.4 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7%6.2–7.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.3–4.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.4 | 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 Day Valley
Is Day Valley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Day Valley is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns: A for health, #145 of 847 in California. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Day Valley?
CDC estimates 24.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.1% and 30.1%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Day Valley?
Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, 7.5 miles in a straight line from Day Valley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Day Valley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–6.3%), 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 Day Valley 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 Day Valley.
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.