Photo: John Wiley User:Jw4nvc - Santa Barbara, California · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Goleta is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Goleta differs from California on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Goleta. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Goleta
Against towns with similar incomes, Goleta’s lead shrinks
Goleta is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, but 66% of the 5,399 towns with similar household incomes ($92K–$153K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Goleta has a five-star hospital
Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Fewer Goleta adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below California. 1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Goleta is an active town
Only 20.3% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 27 miles of trails across 17 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 Goleta’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Goleta’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Goleta is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #192 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 97% of towns); the weakest is fair or poor health, still better than 61%.
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). Goleta’s median household income is $122,370; among the 5,399 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($92K–$153K), it’s healthier than 66%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Goleta
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Goleta, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Goleta; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.3% of Goleta 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.
27 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Goleta adults…
Goleta runs below CA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Goleta adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Goleta adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Goleta does better than California.
1 in 3 Goleta 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.
Goleta and the towns around it
Goleta’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goleta | A | 24.1% | 9.6% | 9.2% | CDC place |
| Eastern Goleta Valley | A | 23.5% | 10.5% | 8.3% | CDC place |
| Santa Barbara | A− | 25.7% | 10.1% | 9.8% | CDC place |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | A | 14.7% | 1.7% | 5.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Goleta adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Goleta
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Goleta is better than California on 14 and worse on 1; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Goleta’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Goleta | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.2%16–20.5 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.7–13.5 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.8–17.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 24.1%19.3–29.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.6%8.3–10.9 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.1%25.8–32.4 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.4%28.8–36.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.1%18.6–23.6 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.2%6.5–7.9 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.6–5.7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.6%4–5.1 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.5–3 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.3%5.8–8.9 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.2%7.9–10.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.3%17.1–23.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.2–20.2 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.3%26–36.7 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.6%7.3–10.1 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.6%67.8–75.3 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67%63.7–70 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.9%84.2–87.5 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.6%66.3–72.8 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.7%59.8–69.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.9%67.3–81.4 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%17.7–23.7 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.7%30.1–39.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.5%21.3–28 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.5%11.6–15.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.5%10–13.2 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.1%5.2–6.9 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.7–8.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.3%9.7–12.9 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.1%24.6–31.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.9%10.5–13.5 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.2%11.7–14.7 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4.2–5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7%6.3–7.8 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 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 Goleta
Is Goleta a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Goleta is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #192 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 66%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Goleta?
CDC estimates 24.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 19.3% and 29.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Goleta?
Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, 2.8 miles in a straight line from Goleta’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Goleta have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.3–10.1%), 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 Goleta 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 Goleta.
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.