Health · Prunedale

Prunedale, CA health

Prunedale differs from California on 9 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more uninsured adults (14.3% vs 10.6%) and more adults with COPD (6.8% vs 5.1%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Prunedale

B-Health Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

B⁻

Prunedale’s Health Grade: B−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Prunedale is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns.

C-Self-rated healthCPhysical distressBMental distressA-ObesityC+DiabetesB+SmokingB-Exercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 46%

Less healthyHealthier

California towns we grade (1,056)Healthier than 36%

Towns with similar incomes, $78K–$130K (7,386)Healthier than 19%

Wealth explains part of the grade. Prunedale is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Prunedale could be anywhere from C− 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 Prunedale 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. Prunedale 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 Prunedale 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 Prunedale adults…

34 of every 100 Prunedale adults have high blood pressure

California: 31 in 100 · too close to call · margin 30.5–38%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Prunedale, betterPrunedale, worseToo close to callCalifornia

Get no exerciseshare of adults 26.5% Prunedale
CA 24.6%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32.7% Prunedale
CA 35.1%

Binge drinkshare of adults 16.1% Prunedale
CA 15.3%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 12.9% Prunedale
CA 10.9%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

Yearly checkup

CA 72%

Dentist visit

CA 63%

Cholesterol check

CA 85%

Colon screening

CA 58%

Mammogram

CA 76%

Taking BP meds

CA 71%

1 in 7

working-age adults has no health insurance

Prunedale 14.3% · California 1 in 9 (10.6%)

Mind & connection

How Prunedale adults are doing

1 in 3Prunedale adults feel lonely

34.9% · California 37.3% · too close to call

1 in 5Prunedale adults have been diagnosed with depression

20.1% · California 20.1% · too close to call

1 in 4Prunedale adults lack social or emotional support

27.3% · California 28.6% · too close to call

1 in 6Prunedale adults are in frequent mental distress

16.8% · 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 5

Prunedale adults worry about having enough food

20% · CA 17.9% · about the same

1 in 6

Prunedale adults worry about keeping their housing

16.4% · CA 14.9% · about the same

1 in 12

Prunedale adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

8.1% · CA 7.3% · about the same

1 in 10

Prunedale adults lack reliable transportation

10.3% · CA 9.3% · about the same

17.4% of Prunedale adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.

Disability

Living with a disability

32.9%

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

Walking or climbing stairs16.6%

Thinking or memory16.5%

Hearing7.2%

Errands alone9.3%

Vision6.7%

Dressing or bathing4.8%

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

Around Prunedale

Prunedale and the towns around it

Care nearby

Natividad Medical CenterSalinas · 8.2 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Salinas Valley Health Medical CenterSalinas · 10.6 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Watsonville Community HospitalWatsonville · 11 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Hazel Hawkins Memorial HospitalHollister · 15 mi · ER · rural critical access Directions Medicare profile

Csvs - Northmain ClinicSalinas · 6 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

Csvs - Castroville ClinicCastroville · 6.5 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

✓ Primary carePrunedale is not a shortage area

! Dental carePart of Prunedale is a federal shortage area for some residents.ME - MSSA 109.1/Prunedale · need score 16 of 25

! Mental healthPart of Prunedale is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, MSSAs 109.1 & 109.2 - Prunedale/Salinas · need score 18 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Prunedale. 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 Prunedale

Measure	Prunedale	Margin	California
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	34.2%	30.5–38%	30.5%	about the same
High cholesterol	37.3%	33.4–41.4%	35.4%	about the same
Obesity	31.1%	25.2–37.5%	27.8%	about the same
Arthritis	24.3%	21.4–27.1%	20.8%	worse
Depression	20.1%	17.2–23.4%	20.1%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	10%	8–12.2%	10.6%	about the same
Asthma	10.1%	8.9–11.4%	9.3%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	7.6%	6.9–8.3%	6.4%	worse
Diabetes	12.9%	11.2–14.7%	11.7%	about the same
COPD	6.8%	6–7.6%	5.1%	worse
Heart disease	6.9%	6.2–7.7%	5.6%	worse
Stroke	3.7%	3.4–4%	3.1%	worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	12.9%	11–14.8%	10.9%	worse
Binge drink	16.1%	13.4–19.1%	15.3%	about the same
Get no exercise	26.5%	22.5–30.7%	24.6%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	32.7%	27.3–38.5%	35.1%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	72.9%	69.2–76.5%	71.9%	about the same
Dentist visit	60.7%	57.1–64.1%	62.8%	about the same
Cholesterol check	85.1%	83.3–86.8%	85.4%	about the same
Colon screening	62.5%	57.4–67.3%	57.5%	about the same
Mammogram	71.4%	62.9–78.6%	75.7%	about the same
Taking BP meds	72.6%	69.2–75.7%	71.3%	about the same
No health insurance	14.3%	12.5–16.4%	10.6%	worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	34.9%	30.2–39.7%	37.3%	about the same
Lack emotional support	27.3%	23.8–31%	28.6%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	16.8%	14.9–18.7%	16.4%	about the same
Fair or poor health	25.7%	22.7–28.7%	22.1%	worse
Frequent physical distress	15.6%	13.7–17.5%	13.4%	worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	20%	17.5–22.7%	17.9%	about the same
Housing insecurity	16.4%	14.3–18.6%	14.9%	about the same
Utility shut-off threat	8.1%	7.1–9.3%	7.3%	about the same
No reliable transportation	10.3%	9.1–11.5%	9.3%	about the same
Receive SNAP	17.4%	15.3–19.8%	15.6%
Disability
Any disability	32.9%	28.8–37%	30.4%
Walking or climbing stairs	16.6%	14.5–18.7%	13.8%
Thinking or memory	16.5%	14.7–18.4%	14.6%
Hearing	7.2%	6.4–8%	5.9%
Vision	6.7%	6.1–7.3%	5.6%
Dressing or bathing	4.8%	4.4–5.2%	3.9%
Errands alone	9.3%	8.3–10.3%	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 Prunedale door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the California figure falls inside it, we don't call Prunedale better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Prunedale 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.