Photo: Us Census Bureau · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Highlands is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns
Highlands differs from California on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 22 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Highlands. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Highlands
Against towns with similar incomes, Highlands’ lead shrinks
Highlands is healthier than 99% of U.S. towns, but 59% of the 436 towns with similar household incomes ($188K–$313K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer runs high in Highlands
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.6%), vs 6.4% across California. Conditions ↓
Highlands is an active town
Only 15.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Highlands keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (75.8% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (75.7% vs 62.8%). Checkups ↓
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 Highlands’ likely range.
What’s behind Highlands’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highlands is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 85%.
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). Highlands’ median household income is $250,001; among the 436 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($188K–$313K), it’s healthier than 59%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Highlands adults…
Highlands runs below CA on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
2.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Highlands adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Highlands
No hospital or community health center in Highlands 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 Highlands; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Highlands adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Highlands does better than California.
3 in 10 Highlands 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.
4.1% of Highlands adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Highlands and the towns around it
Highlands’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands | A+ | 20% | 9.6% | 5.8% | CDC place |
| San Mateo | A | 23% | 9.4% | 8.3% | CDC place |
| Hillsborough | A+ | 18.7% | 9.7% | 5% | CDC place |
| Baywood Park | A+ | 19.2% | 10.1% | 6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Highlands adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Highlands
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Highlands is better than California on 22 and worse on 2; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Highlands’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Highlands | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.7%10.7–15 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.5%8.2–11 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 11%9.6–12.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 20%15.8–24.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.6%8.2–11.1 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.1%27.4–34.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.9%35.7–43.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 23.2%20.3–26.1 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 8.4%7.4–9.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.7–10.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%4.9–6.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 3.7%3–4.4 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 3.8%3–4.8 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 5.8%4.5–7.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.2%12.4–18.5 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14%11.6–16.4 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 25.6%21.2–30.2 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 2.7%2.2–3.5 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.8%72.1–78.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.7%72.7–78.4 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.2%90.8–93.2 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.4%72.9–79.4 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.4%61.8–70.8 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.8%74.3–86.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.8%15.1–20.5 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.3%26–34.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.5%18.5–24.9 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.7%4.5–7.4 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.1%4.1–6.3 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 2.8%2.3–3.4 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.8%3.2–4.5 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.1%3.1–5.5 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 21.3%18.3–24.8 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.7%8.2–11.6 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8%6.8–9.4 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.9%5.1–6.7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.9%2.5–3.3 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 4.6%3.9–5.4 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.2%1.9–2.5 | 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 Highlands
Is Highlands a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highlands is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns: A+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 59%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Highlands?
CDC estimates 20% of adults have obesity, likely between 15.8% and 24.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Highlands?
San Mateo Medical Center in San Mateo, 2.6 miles in a straight line from Highlands’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Highlands have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 2.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.2–3.5%), 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 Highlands 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 Highlands.
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.