On CDC estimates, Live Oak is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns
Live Oak differs from California on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Live Oak. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Live Oak
Cancer and COPD run high in Live Oak
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (8.7%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 17 adults have COPD (5.9%), vs 5.1% across California. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Live Oak’s lead shrinks
Live Oak is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, but 57% of the 8,021 towns with similar household incomes ($78K–$130K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Live Oak has a top-rated hospital
Dominican Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Fewer Live Oak adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing and getting around all run below California. 1 in 7 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 Live Oak’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Live Oak’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Live Oak is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns, #327 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 92% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 43%).
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). Live Oak’s median household income is $103,674; among the 8,021 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($78K–$130K), it’s healthier than 57%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Live Oak adults…
Live Oak runs above CA on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Live Oak
2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Live Oak, 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 Live Oak; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.3% of Live Oak adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
3.6 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Live Oak adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Live Oak adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Live Oak does better than California.
1 in 3 Live Oak 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.
Live Oak and the towns around it
Live Oak’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Oak | B+ | 26.9% | 10.8% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Santa Cruz | A− | 24.5% | 8% | 9.2% | CDC place |
| Capitola | A− | 26.4% | 10.8% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Soquel | A | 25% | 9.7% | 9.3% | CDC place |
| Twin Lakes | A− | 26.7% | 10.3% | 10.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Live Oak adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Live Oak
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Live Oak is better than California on 7 and worse on 3; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Live Oak’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Live Oak | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.3%17.9–23.1 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12–15.4 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.6–18.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 26.9%21.3–32.7 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.3–12.3 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 32.4%28.8–36.1 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.1%32.1–40.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.7%20.9–26.5 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10%8.8–11.2 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.9–9.5 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.6–7 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.9%5.2–6.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.3%3.1–3.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.8%7.1–10.8 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.9%9.3–12.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.1%17.6–24.9 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.2–20.1 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.3%26.8–38.3 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.2%6.9–9.6 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 72.4%68.5–76 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.4%63.1–69.6 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87%85.3–88.5 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.1%69.7–76.1 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.5%60.7–70 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.9%72–84.6 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.9%19.7–26.3 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.2%29.4–39.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.3%20.1–26.8 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.5%11.5–15.7 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.6%10–13.4 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.6–7.5 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.9–8.9 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.3%10.6–14.1 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.8%26–33.8 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.1%12.3–16.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.8%12.2–15.5 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.9–7.4 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.5–5.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%7.1–9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.4–4.2 | 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 Live Oak
Is Live Oak a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Live Oak is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #327 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 57%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Live Oak?
CDC estimates 26.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.3% and 32.7%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Live Oak?
Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, 0.3 miles in a straight line from Live Oak’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Live Oak have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.9–9.6%), 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 Live Oak 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 Live Oak.
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.