Photo: dconvertini · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Pacific Grove is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns
Pacific Grove differs from California on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 19 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pacific Grove. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pacific Grove
Cancer and arthritis run high in Pacific Grove
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.3%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have arthritis (27.1%), vs 20.8% across California. In all, Pacific Grove runs above California on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Pacific Grove keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (78.3% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (74.8% vs 62.8%). Checkups ↓
Pacific Grove is an active town
Only 16.9% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
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 Pacific Grove’s likely range.
What’s behind Pacific Grove’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pacific Grove is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns, #117 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 95% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 78%.
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). Pacific Grove’s median household income is $106,065; among the 7,722 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($80K–$133K), it’s healthier than 93%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Pacific Grove adults…
Pacific Grove runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Pacific Grove is an older town: 31% 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 Pacific Grove as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Pacific Grove 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.
9.1 miles of trails across 22 parks and preserves
Care in and near Pacific Grove
No hospital or community health center in Pacific Grove 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 Pacific Grove; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Pacific Grove adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Pacific Grove does better than California.
3 in 10 Pacific Grove 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.
7.1% of Pacific Grove adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Pacific Grove and the towns around it
Pacific Grove’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Grove | A | 25.8% | 10.2% | 8% | CDC place |
| Del Monte Forest | A | 23.2% | 11.1% | 6.2% | CDC place |
| Monterey | A | 25.6% | 8.3% | 8.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pacific Grove adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pacific Grove
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pacific Grove is better than California on 19 and worse on 4; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Pacific Grove’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pacific Grove | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.6%13.6–17.8 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%10.3–13.2 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.9–15.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.8%20.5–31.5 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.2%8.9–11.7 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.9%31.1–38.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.8%34.7–43 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.1%24.1–30.3 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.7–11.1 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.3%10.3–12.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.5%5.8–7.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5.3%4.6–6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.3%4.1–6.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8%6.7–9.3 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.9%14.1–20 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.5%12.9–18.3 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 27.9%23–33.1 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.6%3.9–5.4 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.3%75.1–81.3 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 74.8%71.8–77.5 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.7%89.5–91.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.8%73.6–79.7 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.6%67.1–75.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76%68.3–82.5 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.8%16.9–22.9 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.4%25.2–34.1 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.3%17.4–23.4 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.8%6.6–9.2 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.2%6.1–8.3 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.1%3.5–4.7 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.1%4.5–5.8 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.1%5.9–8.3 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.4%22.1–28.9 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.4%10.8–14.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.6%9.4–12 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.1–7.7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.4–4.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.3 | 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 Pacific Grove
Is Pacific Grove a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pacific Grove is healthier than 92% of U.S. towns: A for health, #117 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 93%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pacific Grove?
CDC estimates 25.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.5% and 31.5%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pacific Grove?
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in Monterey, 3.1 miles in a straight line from Pacific Grove’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Pacific Grove have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.9–5.4%), 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 Pacific Grove 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 Pacific Grove.
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.