Photo: Bob Doran from Arcata, USA · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Willow Creek is healthier than 71%
Willow Creek differs from California on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Willow Creek. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Willow Creek
COPD, cancer and heart disease run high in Willow Creek
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.5%), about twice the California rate. 1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.3%), vs 6.4% across California. Heart disease is also above the state: 9%, vs 5.6% across California. In all, Willow Creek runs above California on nine of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 37% of residents are 65 or older (California 16%), and COPD, cancer and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Willow Creek
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.1%), vs 10.9% across California. Habits ↓
More high blood pressure in Willow Creek, and more people treating it
39% of adults have high blood pressure (California 30.5%), but 76.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 71.3% statewide. Checkups ↓
The nearest ER is 24 miles from Willow Creek
The closest emergency room is Mad River Community Hospital in Arcata, 23.6 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Open Door Community Health Centers is closer (0.8 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Willow Creek is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Willow Creek is healthier than 30%. Against the 4,709 towns with similar household incomes ($35K–$59K), it’s healthier than 71%. Health Grade ↓
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 Willow Creek’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Willow Creek’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Willow Creek is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 70% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Willow Creek’s median household income is $47,137; among the 4,709 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($35K–$59K), it’s healthier than 71%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Willow Creek compares well: no health insurance (ages 18–64), 7.2% (U.S. 11%).
Out of every 100 Willow Creek adults…
Willow Creek runs above CA on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Willow Creek is an older town: 37% 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 Willow Creek as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
29 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Willow Creek adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Willow Creek
1 community health center in Willow Creek, 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 Willow Creek; ≈ 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).
How Willow Creek adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Willow Creek runs above California.
1 in 3 Willow Creek 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.
18.6% of Willow Creek adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Willow Creek and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willow Creek | C | 33.3% | 14.3% | 16.1% | CDC place |
| Salyer | — | — | — | — |
Salyer: 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 Willow Creek adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Willow Creek
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Willow Creek is better than California on 4 and worse on 13; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Willow Creek’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Willow Creek | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25%21.4–29 | 22.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.6–19.2 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.4–20.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.3%26.9–40.2 | 27.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.3%12.3–16.5 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39%34.8–43.3 | 30.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40%35.8–44.2 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.3%27.8–34.9 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.2%9.9–12.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.3–11.4 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%7.9–10.3 | 5.6% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.5%7.8–11.3 | 5.1% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.1–5.4 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.1%8.8–13.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.1%13.1–19.4 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 25.6%21.3–30.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.2%12.7–18 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.4%28.3–40.7 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%5.7–8.9 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.8%71.1–78.3 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.2%55.5–62.7 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.1%85.1–88.8 | 85.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.8%73.5–79.7 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.3%58.9–69.3 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.8%66.8–81.3 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.2%21.7–29.1 | 20.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 31.9%27.1–37 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.8%21–28.7 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.1%13.9–20.4 | 17.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 13%10.8–15.2 | 14.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.3%7–9.6 | 7.3% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.5%8.1–11 | 9.3% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.6%15.1–22.3 | 15.6% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.3%31.6–41.6 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.1%16.1–22.3 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%13.9–18.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.1%7.9–10.3 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.5%5.7–7.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.4%8.9–12.1 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.3%4.5–6.2 | 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 Willow Creek
Is Willow Creek a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Willow Creek is healthier than 30% of U.S. towns: ≈ C 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 Willow Creek?
CDC estimates 33.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.9% and 40.2%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Willow Creek?
Mad River Community Hospital in Arcata, 23.6 miles in a straight line from Willow Creek’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Willow Creek have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.7–8.9%), 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 Willow Creek more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Willow Creek.
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.