Felton Covered Bridge · Photo: W Nowicki · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Felton is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Felton differs from California on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Felton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Felton
Binge drinking is the habit Felton doesn’t win on
18.8% of adults binge drink, vs 15.3% across California, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Cancer runs high in Felton
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.3%), vs 6.4% across California. Conditions ↓
Felton is an active town
Only 15% 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 Felton’s likely range.
What’s behind Felton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Felton is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #89 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 98% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 81%.
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). Felton’s median household income is $123,056; among the 5,297 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($92K–$154K), it’s healthier than 90%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
8.6 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Felton adults…
Felton runs below CA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Felton
No hospital or community health center in Felton 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 Felton; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Felton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Felton adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Felton does better than California.
1 in 3 Felton 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.
6.6% of Felton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Felton and the towns around it
Felton has the best Health Grade of the 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felton | A | 24.6% | 8.6% | 8.6% | CDC place |
| Ben Lomond | A | 25.3% | 9% | 9.6% | CDC place |
| Bonny Doon | A− | 25.8% | 10.5% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Mount Hermon | — | — | — | — |
Mount Hermon: 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 Felton adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Felton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Felton is better than California on 17 and worse on 2; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Felton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Felton | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.6%12.3–16.9 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%9.8–12.9 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.2–16.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.6%19.3–30.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8.6%7.3–9.9 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30%26.3–33.7 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.6%31.5–39.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.7%19.7–25.6 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.2 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.4–10.3 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.5–5.8 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.6%3.9–5.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.2%5–7.7 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.6%6.8–10.3 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15%12–18.1 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.8%15.7–22.1 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.1%25.7–37 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.4%3.6–5.3 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.3%69.5–76.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72.7%69.6–75.6 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.5%87.9–90.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.3%68.6–75.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.6%65–73.9 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.5%75.2–86.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.2%19.9–26.8 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%27.2–36.6 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.4%17.2–23.9 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.5%6.1–9.2 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.4%6.1–8.8 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.3%3.6–5.1 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.1%4.4–6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.6%5.3–8.2 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.7%20.1–27.4 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.5%8.8–12.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.9%9.4–12.5 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.8%5–6.7 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–3 | 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 Felton
Is Felton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Felton is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #89 of 847 in California. 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 Felton?
CDC estimates 24.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.3% and 30.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Felton?
Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, 6.4 miles in a straight line from Felton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Felton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.6–5.3%), 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 Felton 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 Felton.
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.