On CDC estimates, Freedom is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns
Freedom differs from California on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Freedom. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Freedom
Many Freedom adults are uninsured, but health holds up
1 in 6 working-age adults has no health insurance (16.8%, vs 10.6% across California). Yet the share who say their health is fair or poor, 24.4%, is about level with the state’s 22.1%. Fewer get a yearly checkup: 67.7% vs 71.9%. Checkups ↓
Cancer and COPD are less common in Freedom
Freedom runs below California on cancer (5.3% vs 6.4%), COPD (4.3% vs 5.1%) and arthritis (17.6% vs 20.8%). Conditions ↓
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 Freedom’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Freedom’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Freedom is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns, #428 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 88% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Freedom’s median household income is $93,750; among the 9,478 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($70K–$117K), it’s healthier than 50%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Freedom adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Out of every 100 Freedom adults…
Freedom runs below CA on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Freedom
No hospital or community health center in Freedom 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 Freedom; ≈ 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.
0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Freedom adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
2 in 5 Freedom 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.
16.5% of Freedom adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Freedom and the towns around it
Freedom’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom | B | 28.5% | 10.8% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Watsonville | C | 32% | 13.7% | 13.7% | CDC place |
| Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley | A− | 25.9% | 11% | 10.2% | CDC place |
| Amesti | C+ | 29.8% | 12.6% | 12.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Freedom adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Freedom
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Freedom is better than California on 5 and worse on 5; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Freedom’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Freedom | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.4%21.2–28 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.2–15.9 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17%14.9–19.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.5%22.5–34.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.3–12.4 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 27.4%24–30.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.7%28.8–36.6 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 17.6%15.2–19.8 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.2%8.1–10.4 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.9%4.3–5.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.3%3.7–4.9 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.6%8.5–13.1 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.4%8.6–12.3 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.9%21.6–30.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.8%14.7–21 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.2%29.4–41.4 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 16.8%13.7–20.1 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 67.7%63.5–71.8 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.3%52.7–59.9 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.5%81.1–85.6 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 67.4%63.9–70.6 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 58.5%53.2–63.5 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.7%67.2–81.4 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.7%17.6–24 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.8%32.6–42.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.6%23.7–31.6 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.3%17.7–24.9 | 17.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.5%15.7–21.4 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.6%7.3–10 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.8%9.3–12.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.5%13.7–19.5 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.1%26.9–35.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.6%11.7–15.7 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.1%14–18.3 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%7.2–9.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.5–4.5 | 3.9% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Freedom
Is Freedom a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Freedom is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #428 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 50%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Freedom?
CDC estimates 28.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.5% and 34.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Freedom?
Watsonville Community Hospital in Watsonville, 0.8 miles in a straight line from Freedom’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Freedom have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 16.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.7–20.1%), 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 Freedom more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Freedom.
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.