Photo: Doc Searls · CC BY-SA 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Half Moon Bay is healthier than 36%
Half Moon Bay differs from California on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Half Moon Bay. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Half Moon Bay
Against towns with similar incomes, Half Moon Bay’s lead shrinks
Half Moon Bay is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, but 36% of the 2,292 towns with similar household incomes ($118K–$197K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Half Moon Bay
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.8%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have arthritis (25.6%), vs 20.8% across California. Conditions ↓
Half Moon Bay keeps up with checkups
It beats California on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (70.7% vs 62.8%) and cholesterol checks (89.8% vs 85.4%). Checkups ↓
Half Moon Bay adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (32% vs 37.3%), frequent mental distress (13.6% vs 16.4%) and lack of emotional support (22% vs 28.6%) all run below California. Mind & connection ↓
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 Half Moon Bay’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Half Moon Bay’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Half Moon Bay is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, #174 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 95% of towns); the weakest is fair or poor health, still better than 63%.
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). Half Moon Bay’s median household income is $157,884; among the 2,292 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($118K–$197K), it’s healthier than 36%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Half Moon Bay adults…
Half Moon Bay runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Half Moon Bay adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Half Moon Bay adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Half Moon Bay does better than California.
1 in 3 Half Moon Bay 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.
Care in and near Half Moon Bay
1 community health center in Half Moon Bay, 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 Half Moon Bay; ≈ 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.
16 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.8% of Half Moon Bay adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Half Moon Bay and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half Moon Bay | A | 25.5% | 10.7% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| El Granada | A | 25.5% | 9.7% | 8.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Half Moon Bay adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Half Moon Bay
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Half Moon Bay is better than California on 17 and worse on 2; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Half Moon Bay’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Half Moon Bay | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18%15.6–20.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.8–14 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12–15.3 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.5%20.5–30.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.7%9.2–12.3 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.6%28.9–36.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.5%35.4–43.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 25.6%22.6–28.6 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.4–10.7 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.8%8.8–10.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.1%5.7–8.8 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.5%7.1–10.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.5%16.3–22.9 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.4%12.7–18 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.1%21.7–30.8 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.1%5.8–8.4 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.8%69.9–77 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.7%67.5–73.8 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.8%88.4–91 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.5%71.9–78.4 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.3%63.8–72.4 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.1%72.5–84.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21%17.9–24.1 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32%27.7–36.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%18.9–25.2 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.6%8.9–12.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.1%7.7–10.6 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.7%4–5.5 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6%5.2–6.9 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.8%7.3–10.4 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.9%23.4–30.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.9%11.1–14.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.4%10–12.9 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.4%5.7–7.2 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.8–4.8 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.6%5.8–7.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.9–3.6 | 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 Half Moon Bay
Is Half Moon Bay a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Half Moon Bay is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health, #174 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 Half Moon Bay?
CDC estimates 25.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.5% and 30.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Half Moon Bay?
Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, 8.8 miles in a straight line from Half Moon Bay’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Half Moon Bay have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.8–8.4%), 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 Half Moon Bay 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 Half Moon Bay.
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.