Photo: JAAbboud · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Woodside is healthier than 48%
Woodside differs from California on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 21 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Woodside. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Woodside
Cancer and arthritis run high in Woodside
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.1%), vs 6.4% across California. 1 in 4 adults have arthritis (25.9%), vs 20.8% across California. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Woodside’s lead shrinks
Woodside is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns, but 48% 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 ↓
Woodside is an active town
Only 14.5% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 24.6% across California. The town has 29 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Woodside keeps up with checkups
It beats California on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (75.9% vs 71.9%) and dentist visits (77.8% 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 Woodside’s likely range.
What’s behind Woodside’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Woodside is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns, #34 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 89%.
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). Woodside’s median household income is $250,001; among the 436 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($188K–$313K), it’s healthier than 48%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Woodside adults…
Woodside runs below CA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
29 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Woodside adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Care in and near Woodside
No hospital or community health center in Woodside 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 Woodside; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Woodside adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Woodside does better than California.
3 in 10 Woodside 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 Woodside adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Woodside and the towns around it
Woodside’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodside | A+ | 22.5% | 9.2% | 6.3% | CDC place |
| Portola Valley | A+ | 21.2% | 9.8% | 6% | CDC place |
| Redwood City | A | 24.7% | 8.8% | 8.5% | CDC place |
| Atherton | A+ | 19.6% | 8.7% | 5.1% | CDC place |
| Menlo Park | A+ | 22.3% | 7.9% | 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 Woodside adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Woodside
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Woodside is better than California on 21 and worse on 3; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Woodside’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Woodside | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.2%11.2–15.4 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.4%9–11.9 | 13.4% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.7–13.9 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 22.5%17.7–27.4 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.2%7.8–10.6 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 32.1%28.3–35.8 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40%35.8–43.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 25.9%22.8–29.1 | 20.8% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.4%8.2–10.6 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.1%10.1–12.2 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.9%5.2–6.8 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.3%3.6–5.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.5–3.2 | 3.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.7%3.7–6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6.3%5–7.8 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 14.5%11.9–17.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%13–18.2 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 23.8%19.6–28.2 | 35.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 3%2.4–3.7 | 10.6% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.9%72.4–78.9 | 71.9% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 77.8%75–80.4 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.8%90.6–92.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.8%73.3–79.9 | 71.3% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.1%66.8–75.1 | 57.5% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.4%74–85.9 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.8%17.7–23.9 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 29.9%25.7–34 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 19.3%16.5–22 | 28.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 5.5%4.4–6.7 | 17.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.1%4.2–6.1 | 14.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 2.9%2.5–3.5 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 3.8%3.3–4.4 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.4%3.5–5.4 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.9%19.6–26.3 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.4%8.8–12.2 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9%7.7–10.3 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.2%5.4–7 | 5.9% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 2.9%2.6–3.3 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.1%4.4–6 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.1–2.7 | 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 Woodside
Is Woodside a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Woodside is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #34 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 Woodside?
CDC estimates 22.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 17.7% and 27.4%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Woodside?
Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City, 2.1 miles in a straight line from Woodside’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Woodside have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 2.4–3.7%), 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 Woodside 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 Woodside.
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.