Photo: CommanderCold · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Plumas Lake is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns
Plumas Lake differs from California on 15 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 2 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Plumas Lake. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Plumas Lake
Binge drinking is the habit Plumas Lake doesn’t win on
19.3% of adults binge drink, vs 15.3% across California, even though more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Plumas Lake’s lead shrinks
Plumas Lake is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, but 58% of the 5,694 towns with similar household incomes ($90K–$151K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Heart disease and diabetes are less common in Plumas Lake
Plumas Lake runs below California on seven chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (3.8% vs 5.6%), diabetes (8% vs 11.7%) and stroke (2.2% vs 3.1%). A young population is part of it: only 7% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%). Conditions ↓
Plumas Lake is an active town
Only 19% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 21 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves. 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 Plumas Lake’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Plumas Lake’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Plumas Lake is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, #243 of 847 in California. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 30%).
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). Plumas Lake’s median household income is $120,408; among the 5,694 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($90K–$151K), it’s healthier than 58%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
21 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Plumas Lake adults…
Plumas Lake runs below CA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 7% of Plumas Lake residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Heart disease, COPD and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Plumas Lake
No hospital or community health center in Plumas Lake 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 Plumas Lake; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Plumas Lake adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
How Plumas Lake adults are doing
About the same as California on each measure.
4 in 10 Plumas Lake 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.
11.5% of Plumas Lake adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Plumas Lake and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumas Lake | A− | 27.7% | 8% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Rio Oso | — | — | — | — |
Rio Oso: 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 Plumas Lake adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Plumas Lake
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Plumas Lake is better than California on 13 and worse on 2; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Plumas Lake’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Plumas Lake | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.7%14.1–19.4 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%10.1–13.5 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%16–20.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.7%21.3–35 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8%6.8–9.3 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 25%21.7–28.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30%26.2–33.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 18%15.5–20.8 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.2%9–11.5 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.4%4.9–6 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 3.8%3.4–4.4 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.1%3.4–4.8 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.2%2–2.5 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.4%6.8–10.3 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.4%9.2–13.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 19%15.3–23.1 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.3%16.1–22.7 | 15.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.3%28.9–42.2 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%5.9–9.3 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.1%64.8–73.2 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.4%59.9–66.8 | 62.8% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85%82.7–86.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 64.3%60.6–68 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.4%54.1–64.5 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.4%68.8–83 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.4%20–27.2 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.1%30.6–41.8 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.5%23.4–31.9 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.2%10.6–16.1 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.9%10.6–15.3 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.6%5.5–7.8 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.8%6.6–9.1 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.5%9.2–14.2 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.5%21.6–29.8 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.6%8.2–11.3 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.3%12.3–16.3 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.3%3.8–4.9 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%5.9–7.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.4–3.2 | 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 Plumas Lake
Is Plumas Lake a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Plumas Lake is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #243 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 58%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Plumas Lake?
CDC estimates 27.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.3% and 35%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Plumas Lake?
Adventist Health and Rideout in Marysville, 11.2 miles in a straight line from Plumas Lake’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Plumas Lake have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.9–9.3%), 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 Plumas Lake 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 Plumas Lake.
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.