On CDC estimates, Lake Don Pedro is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns
Lake Don Pedro differs from California on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lake Don Pedro. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lake Don Pedro
COPD, heart disease and cancer run high in Lake Don Pedro
1 in 10 adults have COPD (9.7%), about twice the California rate. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.4%), vs 5.6% across California. Cancer is also above the state: 10.7%, vs 6.4% across California. In all, Lake Don Pedro runs above California on ten of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 28% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and COPD, heart disease and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Lake Don Pedro, and more people treating it
40.3% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 77.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Lake Don Pedro
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.4%), vs 10.9% across California. Habits ↓
The nearest ER is 22 miles from Lake Don Pedro
The closest emergency room is Mercy Medical Center in Merced, 21.5 miles away in a straight line. Getting care ↓
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 Lake Don Pedro’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Lake Don Pedro’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Don Pedro is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 72% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 9%).
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). Lake Don Pedro’s median household income is $85,104; among the 10,403 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$106K), it’s healthier than 16%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Lake Don Pedro compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 7.7% (U.S. 11%).
Out of every 100 Lake Don Pedro adults…
Lake Don Pedro runs above CA on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Lake Don Pedro is an older town: 28% 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 Lake Don Pedro as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lake Don Pedro adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
4.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
Care in and near Lake Don Pedro
No hospital or community health center in Lake Don Pedro 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 Lake Don Pedro; ≈ 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).
How Lake Don Pedro adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Lake Don Pedro runs above California.
1 in 3 Lake Don Pedro 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.
17% of Lake Don Pedro adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Lake Don Pedro and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Don Pedro | C | 32.9% | 15% | 15.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lake Don Pedro adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lake Don Pedro
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lake Don Pedro is better than California on 5 and worse on 13; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Lake Don Pedro’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lake Don Pedro | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.8%22.5–29.5 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.5–19.9 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.8–20 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.9%25.2–40.9 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15%13–17.2 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 40.3%36–44.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.7%37–46.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33%29.3–36.9 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.8–12.4 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.7%9.7–11.8 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.4%8.3–10.5 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.7%8.4–11.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.9%4.4–5.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.1%10.5–16.1 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%13–18.2 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.1%22.7–32 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%11.7–17.3 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.7%27.1–40.8 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.7%6.4–9.3 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.7%71.7–79.3 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.4%59.6–67 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.2%86.4–89.7 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.9%74.5–81 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.6%61.1–71.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.8%63.6–79.6 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%20.3–27.6 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.9%27.8–38.1 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.8%21.1–28.6 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16%13.5–18.9 | 17.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.6%10.8–14.6 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.4%6.4–8.5 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.9%7.8–10.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17%14.4–20 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.4%32.8–42.4 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20%17.3–22.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%14–18.1 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.3%8.2–10.4 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.4%9.1–11.8 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Lake Don Pedro
Is Lake Don Pedro a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Don Pedro is healthier than 29% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 16%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lake Don Pedro?
CDC estimates 32.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.2% and 40.9%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lake Don Pedro?
Mercy Medical Center in Merced, 21.5 miles in a straight line from Lake Don Pedro’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lake Don Pedro have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.4–9.3%), 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 Lake Don Pedro more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lake Don Pedro.
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.