Photo: Saschaporsche · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Santa Ynez is healthier than 46%
Santa Ynez differs from California on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Santa Ynez. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Santa Ynez
Cancer, arthritis and COPD run high in Santa Ynez
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.2%), vs 6.4% across California. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (30.6%), vs 20.8% across California. COPD is also above the state: 7.3%, vs 5.1% across California. In all, Santa Ynez runs above California on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Santa Ynez’s lead shrinks
Santa Ynez is healthier than 71% of U.S. towns, but 46% of the 7,016 towns with similar household incomes ($83K–$138K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Santa Ynez, and more people treating it
37.7% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 76.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
Santa Ynez keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (76.5% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (66.7% 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 Santa Ynez’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Santa Ynez’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Santa Ynez is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, #345 of 847 in California. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 94% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 43%).
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). Santa Ynez’s median household income is $110,781; among the 7,016 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($83K–$138K), it’s healthier than 46%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Santa Ynez adults…
Santa Ynez runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Santa Ynez adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Santa Ynez
No hospital or community health center in Santa Ynez 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 Santa Ynez; ≈ 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.
8.1 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Santa Ynez adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Santa Ynez does better than California.
1 in 3 Santa Ynez 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.
10.6% of Santa Ynez adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Santa Ynez 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ynez | B+ | 25.7% | 11.8% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Ballard | — | — | — | — | |
| Solvang | A− | 23.9% | 10.9% | 8.7% | CDC place |
Ballard: 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 Santa Ynez adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Santa Ynez
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Santa Ynez is better than California on 13 and worse on 6; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Santa Ynez’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Santa Ynez | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.2%17.1–23.8 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.6%12.6–16.9 | 13.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.5–17.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.7%20.4–31.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.8%10.2–13.7 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.7%33.8–41.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.4%34.4–42.5 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.6%27.3–34.1 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.2%10.1–12.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%6.9–8.9 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.3%6.1–8.7 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4%3.6–4.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.1%6.6–9.9 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%8.9–13.7 | 10.9% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.3%17.5–25.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.1%12.6–18 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.1%25.9–36.5 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.2%4.9–7.7 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.5%73–79.8 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.7%63.3–69.9 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.6%88.1–91 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.4%73–79.7 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.9%66.2–75.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.3%66.5–81 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.3%19.2–25.6 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.1%27.5–36.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22%18.6–25.6 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.9%8.8–13.2 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9%7.4–10.7 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.4–6.2 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.4%5.4–7.5 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.6%8.3–12.9 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.9%28.5–37.5 | 30.4% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.6%14–19.5 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.2%11.3–15.3 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.4–9.5 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.2–5.7 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.3%7–9.6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.4–4.7 | 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 Santa Ynez
Is Santa Ynez a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Santa Ynez is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #345 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 Santa Ynez?
CDC estimates 25.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 20.4% and 31.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Santa Ynez?
Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital in Solvang, 2.0 miles in a straight line from Santa Ynez’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Santa Ynez have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.9–7.7%), 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 Santa Ynez 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 Santa Ynez.
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.