Casa de Tableta · Photo: W Nowicki · CC BY 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Portola Valley is healthier than 29%
Portola Valley differs from California on 26 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 21 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Portola Valley. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Portola Valley
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Portola Valley
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (13.5%), about twice the California rate. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (29.2%), vs 20.8% across California. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.2%, vs 5.6% across California. In all, Portola Valley runs above California on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 44% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Portola Valley’s lead shrinks
Portola Valley is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns, but 29% of the 436 towns with similar household incomes ($188K–$313K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Portola Valley is older than California, yet healthier on chronic conditions
Portola Valley runs below California on obesity (21.2% vs 27.8%) and diabetes (9.8% vs 11.7%). That’s despite an older population: 44% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%). Conditions ↓
Portola Valley keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (78.2% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (78.4% vs 62.8%). 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 Portola Valley’s likely range.
What’s behind Portola Valley’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portola Valley is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns, #64 of 847 in California. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than almost every town); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 83%.
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). Portola Valley’s median household income is $250,001; among the 436 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($188K–$313K), it’s healthier than 29%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Portola Valley adults…
Portola Valley runs below CA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Portola Valley is an older town: 44% 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 Portola Valley as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Portola Valley adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Portola Valley
No hospital or community health center in Portola Valley 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 Portola Valley; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
54 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How Portola Valley adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Portola Valley does better than California.
3 in 10 Portola 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.
4.4% of Portola Valley adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Portola Valley and the towns around it
Portola Valley’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portola Valley | A+ | 21.2% | 9.8% | 6% | CDC place |
| Woodside | A+ | 22.5% | 9.2% | 6.3% | CDC place |
| Palo Alto | A+ | 20.2% | 9.1% | 5.8% | CDC place |
| Ladera | A+ | 21.8% | 8.9% | 6.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Portola Valley adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Portola Valley
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Portola Valley is better than California on 21 and worse on 5; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Portola Valley’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Portola Valley | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.3%11.3–18.1 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11%9.1–13.2 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.2%9.6–12.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 21.2%16.7–25.9 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.8%8.2–11.6 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 35.2%31.1–39.2 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.2%37.8–46.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 29.2%25.5–32.7 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.2%8–10.3 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.5%12–14.8 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.2%6.1–8.6 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 5%3.8–6.6 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%2.8–4.1 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 5.5%4.3–6.9 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6%4.3–8.1 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 15.7%12.1–19.8 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 13.6%11.2–15.9 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 22.6%18.7–26.9 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3.2%2.2–4.3 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.2%74.9–81 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 78.4%75.7–81 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.7%91.4–93.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.6%76.2–82.5 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.1%70–78 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.7%73.1–85.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.5%16.6–22.5 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.4%25.3–34.1 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.8%15.8–22.5 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.5%4–7.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 4.6%3.6–5.8 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 2.6%2.1–3.2 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.7%3–4.6 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.4%3.1–6.3 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.8%21.4–30.5 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.5%9.8–15.7 | 13.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 8.9%7.2–10.9 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%6.5–9.1 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.3%2.7–4.4 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.7%4.5–7.5 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.1–3.4 | 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 Portola Valley
Is Portola Valley a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portola Valley is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #64 of 847 in California. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Portola Valley?
CDC estimates 21.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 16.7% and 25.9%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Portola Valley?
Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, 4.8 miles in a straight line from Portola Valley’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Portola Valley have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.2–4.3%), 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 Portola Valley 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 Portola 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.