Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, La Selva Beach is healthier than 5%
La Selva Beach differs from California on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for La Selva Beach. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in La Selva Beach
Cancer, COPD and heart disease run high in La Selva Beach
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.3%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.9%), vs 5.1% across California. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.1%, vs 5.6% across California. In all, La Selva Beach runs above California on seven of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer, COPD and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, La Selva Beach’s lead shrinks
La Selva Beach is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns, but 5% of the 2,124 towns with similar household incomes ($121K–$201K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in La Selva Beach, and more people treating it
37.8% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 77.6% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
La Selva Beach keeps up with checkups
It beats California on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (75.9% vs 71.9%) and cholesterol checks (89.3% vs 85.4%). 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 La Selva Beach’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind La Selva Beach’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Selva Beach is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 93% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 32%).
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 Selva Beach’s median household income is $160,833; among the 2,124 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($121K–$201K), it’s healthier than 5%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 La Selva Beach adults…
La Selva Beach runs above CA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
La Selva Beach is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in La Selva Beach as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of La Selva Beach adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near La Selva Beach
No hospital or community health center in La Selva Beach 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 Selva Beach; ≈ 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.
12 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How La Selva Beach adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, La Selva Beach does better than California.
1 in 3 La Selva Beach 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.
11.9% of La Selva Beach adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
La Selva Beach and the towns around it
La Selva Beach’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Selva Beach | B | 26.4% | 12.4% | 11.8% | CDC place |
| Rio del Mar | A | 23.8% | 9.9% | 7.5% | CDC place |
| Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley | A− | 25.9% | 11% | 10.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of La Selva Beach adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for La Selva Beach
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, La Selva Beach is better than California on 10 and worse on 7; on the rest, the California figure falls inside La Selva Beach’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | La Selva Beach | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.8%17.6–26.6 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%12.5–18 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%13.4–18.2 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.4%20.4–32.8 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.4%10.3–14.7 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.8%33.2–42.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41%36.4–45.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 29.3%25.4–33.2 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.2–12 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.3%10.1–12.5 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%6.8–9.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.9%5.9–10 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.5–4.9 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.4%8.4–12.5 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.8%8.8–15.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.8%17.1–27.1 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%12.2–17.5 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.9%26.4–37.9 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.9%5.1–9 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.9%72.3–79.3 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.5%57.9–65 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%87.3–90.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.6%74.3–80.7 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.3%65.7–74.6 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.7%70.4–83.9 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.5%19.9–27.3 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.9%28.1–38.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.1%18.4–26 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.2%9.3–15.6 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.5%7.5–11.7 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.5%4.4–6.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7%5.7–8.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.9%8.8–15.6 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.2%26.8–37.9 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.9%13.4–20.7 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%11.1–16.2 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%6.8–9.4 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.2–6.3 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.6%6.9–10.6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%3.4–5.3 | 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 Selva Beach
Is La Selva Beach a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, La Selva Beach is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns: ≈ B 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 Selva Beach?
CDC estimates 26.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.4% and 32.8%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to La Selva Beach?
Watsonville Community Hospital in Watsonville, 2.8 miles in a straight line from La Selva Beach’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in La Selva Beach have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–9%), 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 Selva Beach 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 Selva Beach.
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.