On CDC estimates, Paradise is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns
Paradise differs from California on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 10 better, 12 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Paradise. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Paradise
Cancer, COPD and heart disease run high in Paradise
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.1%), about twice the California rate. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.5%), about twice the California rate. Heart disease is also above the state: 9.6%, vs 5.6% across California. In all, Paradise runs above California on ten of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 41% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer, COPD and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Paradise, and more people treating it
41.7% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 78.3% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Paradise keeps up with checkups
It beats California on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (77.8% 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 Paradise’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Paradise’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Paradise is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns, #563 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 81% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 18%).
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). Paradise’s median household income is $67,687; among the 10,298 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($51K–$85K), it’s healthier than 59%, about where its income would put it.
Where Paradise compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 6% (U.S. 11%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 89.3% (U.S. 87.1%); worried about keeping housing, 10.3% (U.S. 12%).
Out of every 100 Paradise adults…
Paradise runs above CA on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Paradise is an older town: 41% 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 Paradise as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Paradise adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Paradise
No hospital or community health center in Paradise 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 Paradise; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
2 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
How Paradise adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Paradise runs above California.
1 in 3 Paradise 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.
15.1% of Paradise adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Paradise and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paradise | B− | 30.6% | 14.1% | 14% | CDC place |
| Magalia | C+ | 31% | 13% | 15.3% | CDC place |
| Butte Creek Canyon | — | — | — | — |
Butte Creek Canyon: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Paradise adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Paradise
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Paradise is better than California on 10 and worse on 12; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Paradise’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Paradise | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.4%20.7–26.3 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.5–18.3 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.8–18.6 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.6%24.4–37.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12.2–16 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.7%37.6–45.9 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.2%36.8–45.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33.2%29.8–36.8 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.7%9.5–12 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.1%11–13.2 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.6%8.6–10.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.5%8.4–10.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5%4.5–5.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.7%10.3–15.3 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14%12.1–16.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 24%20.3–28.1 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.3–17.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.6%25.8–37.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%5.1–7 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.8%74.3–80.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.5%59–65.9 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%87.9–90.6 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.3%75.2–81.2 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.7%62.6–72.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.8%64.7–79.7 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.6%21.2–28.2 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 30.9%26.2–35.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.3%19.1–25.6 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.2%11.3–15.2 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.3%8.8–11.8 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.6–7.4 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.7–8.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 15.1%13–17.2 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.4%31.3–39.7 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.3%17–21.8 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.8–16.1 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.6%8.6–10.7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.5–6.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.7–10.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 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 Paradise
Is Paradise a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Paradise is healthier than 45% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #563 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 59%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Paradise?
CDC estimates 30.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.4% and 37.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Paradise?
Enloe Health in Chico, 12.9 miles in a straight line from Paradise’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Paradise have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7%), 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 Paradise more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Paradise.
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.