Health · Capitola

Capitola, CA health

Capitola differs from California on 16 of 40 measures. It has fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (6.7% vs 10.6%) and fewer uninsured adults (7% vs 10.6%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (9.5% vs 6.4%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Capitola
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Capitola’s Health Grade: A−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Capitola is healthier than 76% of U.S. towns and 66% of California towns.

B-Self-rated healthBPhysical distressB+Mental distressAObesityB+DiabetesA-SmokingA-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 76%
Less healthyHealthier
California towns we grade (1,056)Healthier than 66%
Towns with similar incomes, $77K–$129K (7,526)Healthier than 64%

About what its income would suggest. Capitola does about as well against towns with similar incomes as against all towns.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Capitola could be anywhere from B− to A.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in California ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Capitola with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Capitola uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Capitola compares with California

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Capitola adults…

33 of every 100 Capitola adults have high blood pressure
California: 31 in 100 · too close to call · margin 29.7–37.1%

Bars show Capitola; the black tick is California. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Capitola, betterCapitola, worseToo close to callCalifornia
Get no exerciseshare of adults 20.2% Capitola
CA 24.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32% Capitola
CA 35.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.4% Capitola
CA 15.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 10.5% Capitola
CA 10.9%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Capitola adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.

74%
Yearly checkup
CA 72%
67%
Dentist visit
CA 63%
88%
Cholesterol check
CA 85%
68%
Colon screening
CA 58%
79%
Mammogram
CA 76%
75%
Taking BP meds
CA 71%
1 in 14
working-age adults has no health insurance
Capitola 7% · California 1 in 9 (10.6%)
Mind & connection

How Capitola adults are doing

1 in 3Capitola adults feel lonely
33.3% · California 37.3% · too close to call
1 in 4Capitola adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.5% · California 20.1% · worse
1 in 5Capitola adults lack social or emotional support
22% · California 28.6% · better
1 in 6Capitola adults are in frequent mental distress
16.2% · California 16.4% · too close to call
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 8
Capitola adults worry about having enough food
12.1% · CA 17.9% · better
1 in 10
Capitola adults worry about keeping their housing
10.3% · CA 14.9% · better
1 in 17
Capitola adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6% · CA 7.3% · better
1 in 14
Capitola adults lack reliable transportation
7.2% · CA 9.3% · better

11.4% of Capitola adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.

Disability

Living with a disability

29.3%

of Capitola adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.2%
Thinking or memory13.1%
Hearing6.7%
Errands alone7.8%
Vision4.7%
Dressing or bathing3.7%

Black tick: California. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Capitola

Capitola and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Capitola.

Live Oak: 26.9% Pleasure Point: 25.7% Soquel: 25% Seacliff: 25.6% Santa Cruz: 24.5% Twin Lakes: 26.7% Aptos: 24.2% Rio del Mar: 23.8% Capitola: 26.4% Capitola Live Oak Pleasure Point Soquel Seacliff Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center of Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz · 1.6 miH Dominican Hospital · Santa Cruz · 1.9 mi · 4★ MedicareH East Cliff Family Health Center · Santa Cruz · 1.7 mi+ Dientes Community Dental Care - Capitola Road · Santa Cruz · 1.7 mi+
23.8%26.9%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#7 of 9towns on this map, healthiest first
Soquel25%
Seacliff25.6%
Pleasure Point25.7%
Capitola26.4%
Live Oak26.9%

Care nearby

Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center of Santa CruzSanta Cruz · 1.6 mi DirectionsMedicare profile
Dominican HospitalSanta Cruz · 1.9 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Watsonville Community HospitalWatsonville · 9.5 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Good Samaritan HospitalSan Jose · 19 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
East Cliff Family Health CenterSanta Cruz · 1.7 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
Dientes Community Dental Care - Capitola RoadSanta Cruz · 1.7 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
✓ Primary careCapitola is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careCapitola is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthCapitola is not a shortage area

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas. Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Capitola. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Capitola
MeasureCapitolaMarginCalifornia
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure33.4%29.7–37.1%30.5%about the same
High cholesterol37.1%32.9–41.2%35.4%about the same
Obesity26.4%20.8–32.4%27.8%about the same
Arthritis25.1%22.2–28%20.8%worse
Depression23.5%20.2–27%20.1%worse
Lost all teeth (65+)6.7%5.3–8.3%10.6%better
Asthma10.3%9.1–11.5%9.3%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.5%8.6–10.4%6.4%worse
Diabetes10.8%9.4–12.3%11.7%about the same
COPD6.1%5.3–7%5.1%worse
Heart disease6.5%5.8–7.2%5.6%worse
Stroke3.4%3.1–3.8%3.1%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes10.5%8.8–12.3%10.9%about the same
Binge drink16.4%13.6–19.4%15.3%about the same
Get no exercise20.2%16.9–23.6%24.6%better
Sleep under 7 hours32%26.5–37.9%35.1%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup73.7%70–77.1%71.9%about the same
Dentist visit67.3%63.9–70.6%62.8%better
Cholesterol check88%86.5–89.4%85.4%better
Colon screening68%63.1–72.5%57.5%better
Mammogram79.4%72.7–85.1%75.7%about the same
Taking BP meds74.5%71.3–77.5%71.3%about the same
No health insurance7%5.8–8.2%10.6%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely33.3%28.5–38.1%37.3%about the same
Lack emotional support22%18.7–25.3%28.6%better
Frequent mental distress16.2%14.3–18.1%16.4%about the same
Fair or poor health19.5%17–22.1%22.1%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.5%11.9–15.2%13.4%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity12.1%10.2–14.2%17.9%better
Housing insecurity10.3%8.8–12%14.9%better
Utility shut-off threat6%5.1–6.9%7.3%better
No reliable transportation7.2%6.3–8.2%9.3%better
Receive SNAP11.4%9.6–13.4%15.6%
Disability
Any disability29.3%25.6–33.1%30.4%
Walking or climbing stairs14.2%12.2–16.1%13.8%
Thinking or memory13.1%11.6–14.8%14.6%
Hearing6.7%6–7.5%5.9%
Vision4.7%4.2–5.2%5.6%
Dressing or bathing3.7%3.2–4.1%3.9%
Errands alone7.8%6.9–8.8%8.1%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Capitola door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the California figure falls inside it, we don't call Capitola better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Capitola directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The California figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Capitola

California · CA
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