Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, La Honda is healthier than 2%
La Honda differs from California on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for La Honda. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in La Honda
Against towns with similar incomes, La Honda’s lead shrinks
La Honda is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns, but 2% 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 and heart disease run high in La Honda
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.6%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.1%), vs 5.6% across California. In all, La Honda runs above California on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
La Honda keeps up with checkups
It beats California on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (67.9% vs 62.8%) and cholesterol checks (88.9% vs 85.4%). Checkups ↓
Fewer La Honda adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below California. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 La Honda’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind La Honda’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Honda is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 91% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 48%).
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). La Honda’s median household income is $250,001; among the 436 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($188K–$313K), it’s healthier than 2%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 La Honda adults…
La Honda runs above CA on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
La Honda is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in La Honda as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of La Honda adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.8% of La Honda adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Care in and near La Honda
No hospital or community health center in La Honda 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 La Honda; ≈ 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.
4.5 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How La Honda adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, La Honda does better than California.
1 in 3 La Honda 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.
La Honda and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Honda | A− | 27.5% | 11.1% | 11.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of La Honda adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for La Honda
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, La Honda is better than California on 12 and worse on 4; on the rest, the California figure falls inside La Honda’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | La Honda | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.7%15.8–24.2 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.2–16 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%12.8–17.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.5%21.9–33 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.1%9.3–13 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.2%30.1–38 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.9%35.7–43.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 26.3%22.9–29.5 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%8.7–11.3 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.6%8.5–10.6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%5.9–8.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.6%5–8.5 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%2.9–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.6%6.9–10.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.6%8.4–15.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19.9%15.7–24.5 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.5%13.8–19.5 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 26.9%22.5–31.6 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.2%4.5–8.2 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.3%68.5–75.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.9%64.6–71.1 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%86.8–90.7 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.1%70.5–77.4 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.4%60.7–70 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.4%70.4–83.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%19.4–26.3 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.9%27.2–36.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.6%18.9–27 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.5%8.5–15.2 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.4%7.4–12 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.2–6.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.5%5.2–8.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.8%7.8–14.5 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.2%23.4–33.4 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.6%10.8–16.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.8%10.3–15.4 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%5.8–8 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.6–5.4 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.3%5.9–9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.7%2.9–4.6 | 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 La Honda
Is La Honda a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Honda is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns: ≈ A− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in La Honda?
CDC estimates 27.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.9% and 33%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to La Honda?
Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, 6.9 miles in a straight line from La Honda’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in La Honda have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.5–8.2%), 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 La Honda 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 La Honda.
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.