Photo: Travisthurston · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Penn Valley is healthier than 73%
Penn Valley differs from California on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Penn Valley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Penn Valley
Cancer, COPD and arthritis run high in Penn Valley
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.4%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.1%), vs 5.1% across California. Arthritis is also above the state: 29.7%, vs 20.8% across California. In all, Penn Valley runs above California on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 34% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer, COPD and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Penn Valley is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Penn Valley is healthier than 53%. Against the 9,887 towns with similar household incomes ($49K–$81K), it’s healthier than 73%. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Penn Valley, and more people treating it
37% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 75.9% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Nearly everyone in Penn Valley is insured
Only 6.4% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 10.6% across California. 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 Penn Valley’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Penn Valley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Penn Valley is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 85% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 27%).
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). Penn Valley’s median household income is $64,737; among the 9,887 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$81K), it’s healthier than 73%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Penn Valley adults…
Penn Valley runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Penn Valley is an older town: 34% 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 Penn Valley as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Penn Valley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Penn Valley
1 community health center in Penn Valley, 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 Penn Valley; ≈ 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.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Penn Valley adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Penn Valley runs above California.
1 in 3 Penn Valley 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.
14% of Penn Valley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Penn Valley and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn Valley | B− | 29.6% | 11.9% | 13.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Penn Valley adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Penn Valley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Penn Valley is better than California on 8 and worse on 9; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Penn Valley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Penn Valley | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.5%18.2–25.2 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.5–18.1 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%15.7–20.4 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.6%22.6–37.2 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.9%10.1–13.9 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37%32.6–41.5 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.3%32.9–41.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.7%26–33.3 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.8–12.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.4%9.3–11.5 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%6.9–8.9 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.1%6.8–9.6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.7–4.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.8%6.1–9.7 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.6%10.9–16.5 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.4%18–27.4 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.2–19.5 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.1%26.1–38.8 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.4%5.1–8.1 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.7%70.7–78.4 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 67.5%63.9–71 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.5%85.4–89.2 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.9%72.5–79 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.2%62.2–72.2 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.7%63.4–79.2 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25%21.2–28.9 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 32.9%27.9–38.6 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.8%20.1–28 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.2%10.6–16 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.2%9.3–13.3 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.7–8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%6.8–9.3 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14%11.2–17 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.5%29.5–39.8 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17%14.4–19.9 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.4%13.2–17.7 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.1–9.2 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.4%4.7–6.2 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.5%8.1–11 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%3.9–5.2 | 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 Penn Valley
Is Penn Valley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Penn Valley is healthier than 52% 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 Penn Valley?
CDC estimates 29.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.6% and 37.2%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Penn Valley?
Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital in Grass Valley, 8.2 miles in a straight line from Penn Valley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Penn Valley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–8.1%), 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 Penn Valley 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 Penn Valley.
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.