Health · Live Oak

Live Oak, CA health

Live Oak differs from California on 10 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing food insecurity (13.5% vs 17.9%) and fewer uninsured adults (8.2% vs 10.6%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (8.7% vs 6.4%).

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

Live Oak’s Health Grade: C

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Live Oak is healthier than 31% of U.S. towns.

DSelf-rated healthC-Physical distressC-Mental distressA-ObesityCDiabetesB-SmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 31%
Less healthyHealthier
California towns we grade (1,056)Healthier than 24%
Towns with similar incomes, $55K–$92K (9,838)Healthier than 29%

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

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Live Oak could be anywhere from D to B.
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 Live Oak 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. Live Oak 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 Live Oak 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 Live Oak adults…

32 of every 100 Live Oak adults have high blood pressure
California: 31 in 100 · too close to call · margin 28.8–36.1%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Live Oak, betterLive Oak, worseToo close to callCalifornia
Get no exerciseshare of adults 21.1% Live Oak
CA 24.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32.3% Live Oak
CA 35.1%
Binge drinkshare of adults 17% Live Oak
CA 15.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 10.9% Live Oak
CA 10.9%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

72%
Yearly checkup
CA 72%
66%
Dentist visit
CA 63%
87%
Cholesterol check
CA 85%
66%
Colon screening
CA 58%
79%
Mammogram
CA 76%
73%
Taking BP meds
CA 71%
1 in 12
working-age adults has no health insurance
Live Oak 8.2% · California 1 in 9 (10.6%)
Mind & connection

How Live Oak adults are doing

1 in 3Live Oak adults feel lonely
34.2% · California 37.3% · too close to call
1 in 4Live Oak adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.9% · California 20.1% · too close to call
1 in 4Live Oak adults lack social or emotional support
23.3% · California 28.6% · better
1 in 6Live Oak adults are in frequent mental distress
16.5% · 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 7
Live Oak adults worry about having enough food
13.5% · CA 17.9% · better
1 in 9
Live Oak adults worry about keeping their housing
11.6% · CA 14.9% · better
1 in 15
Live Oak adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.5% · CA 7.3% · about the same
1 in 13
Live Oak adults lack reliable transportation
7.8% · CA 9.3% · better

12.3% of Live Oak adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.

Disability

Living with a disability

29.8%

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

Walking or climbing stairs14.1%
Thinking or memory13.8%
Hearing6.6%
Errands alone8%
Vision4.9%
Dressing or bathing3.8%

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

Around Live Oak

Live Oak 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 Live Oak.

Santa Cruz: 24.5% Capitola: 26.4% Soquel: 25% Twin Lakes: 26.7% Paradise Park: 23.2% Pasatiempo: 23.2% Pleasure Point: 25.7% Seacliff: 25.6% Aptos: 24.2% Live Oak: 26.9% Live Oak Santa Cruz Capitola Soquel Twin Lakes Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center of Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz · 0.2 miH Dominican Hospital · Santa Cruz · 0.3 mi · 4★ MedicareH Dientes Community Dental Clinic · Santa Cruz · 0.2 mi+ East Cliff Family Health Center · Santa Cruz · 0.7 mi+
23.2%26.9%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#10 of 10towns on this map, healthiest first
Santa Cruz24.5%
Soquel25%
Capitola26.4%
Twin Lakes26.7%
Live Oak26.9%
6 places to get careNearest ER 0.3 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Live Oak

2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Live Oak, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERDominican HospitalSanta Cruz · 0.3 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyWatsonville Community Hospital★★★★★ · 11.1 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCounty of Santa CruzSanta Cruz · 0.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
0.2 mi
Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center of Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz · not rated
In Live Oak
0.2 mi
County of Santa Cruz
7 sites · nearest in Santa Cruz
Sliding-scale feesIn Live Oak
Directions to nearest
0.3 mi
Dominican Hospital
Santa Cruz · ★★★★★
ERIn Live Oak
0.7 mi
East Cliff Family Health Center
Santa Cruz · community health center
Sliding-scale feesIn Live Oak
11.1 mi
Watsonville Community Hospital
Watsonville · ★★★★★
ER
18.4 mi
Good Samaritan Hospital
San Jose · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careLive Oak is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careLive Oak is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthLive Oak is not a shortage area

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 Live Oak. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

All 40 measures for Live Oak
MeasureLive OakMarginCalifornia
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure32.4%28.8–36.1%30.5%about the same
High cholesterol36.1%32.1–40.1%35.4%about the same
Obesity26.9%21.3–32.7%27.8%about the same
Arthritis23.7%20.9–26.5%20.8%worse
Depression22.9%19.7–26.3%20.1%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)8.8%7.1–10.8%10.6%about the same
Asthma10%8.8–11.2%9.3%about the same
Cancer (not skin)8.7%7.9–9.5%6.4%worse
Diabetes10.8%9.3–12.3%11.7%about the same
COPD5.9%5.2–6.7%5.1%worse
Heart disease6.3%5.6–7%5.6%about the same
Stroke3.3%3.1–3.7%3.1%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes10.9%9.3–12.8%10.9%about the same
Binge drink17%14.2–20.1%15.3%about the same
Get no exercise21.1%17.6–24.9%24.6%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours32.3%26.8–38.3%35.1%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup72.4%68.5–76%71.9%about the same
Dentist visit66.4%63.1–69.6%62.8%better
Cholesterol check87%85.3–88.5%85.4%about the same
Colon screening65.5%60.7–70%57.5%better
Mammogram78.9%72–84.6%75.7%about the same
Taking BP meds73.1%69.7–76.1%71.3%about the same
No health insurance8.2%6.9–9.6%10.6%better
Mind & connection
Feel lonely34.2%29.4–39.2%37.3%about the same
Lack emotional support23.3%20.1–26.8%28.6%better
Frequent mental distress16.5%14.6–18.5%16.4%about the same
Fair or poor health20.3%17.9–23.1%22.1%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.7%12–15.4%13.4%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity13.5%11.5–15.7%17.9%better
Housing insecurity11.6%10–13.4%14.9%better
Utility shut-off threat6.5%5.6–7.5%7.3%about the same
No reliable transportation7.8%6.9–8.9%9.3%better
Receive SNAP12.3%10.6–14.1%15.6%
Disability
Any disability29.8%26–33.8%30.4%
Walking or climbing stairs14.1%12.3–16.2%13.8%
Thinking or memory13.8%12.2–15.5%14.6%
Hearing6.6%5.9–7.4%5.9%
Vision4.9%4.5–5.5%5.6%
Dressing or bathing3.8%3.4–4.2%3.9%
Errands alone8%7.1–9%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 Live Oak door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the California figure falls inside it, we don't call Live Oak better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Live Oak 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/19 · 2025-01-01