CERTIFIED BLUE ZONES COMMUNITY
Salinas, CA has achieved Blue Zones Community® certification, making it the first to earn the designation in Monterey County. The certification recognizes Salinas’ measurable success in well-being transformation through the effective implementation of Blue Zones Project®, a pioneering population health initiative that integrates evidence-based best practices in built environment, policy, and social connection within participating communities.
Brought to Salinas by Salinas Valley Health, Taylor Farms, and Montage Health in 2018, the initiative has engaged local leaders, volunteers, and organizations to help residents move naturally, eat better, develop healthy connections, and live with purpose. Given the early success in Salinas, the Project’s footprint expanded across Monterey County in 2021, and the remaining communities will be eligible for Blue Zones Community certification next year.
Salinas earned the designation by meeting and exceeding Project benchmarks in categories including resident and employer engagement rates, well-being scores, and community policies. As a result of the community-wide effort led by the local Blue Zones Project team, Salinas’ overall community well-being score improved by 5.9 points since 2019. Each point increase in well-being for a population leads to approximately a two percent reduction in ER visits and hospital utilization, and to approximately a one percent reduction in total health care costs. In addition:
- Residents who report they are thriving in daily life rose from 58.8% to 66.6% of the population;
- Individuals are moving more, with 65.5% reporting at least 30 minutes of exercise three or more days per week, compared to 56.2% in 2019;
- 54% fewer residents report high cholesterol;
- Tobacco use is down to 2.8%, well below state and national averages;
- Nearly $21.7 million in add-on funding was leveraged for well-being projects; and
- Over $43.7 million in avoided medical and lost productivity costs were gained over the last five years.
These impressive measures are the direct result of the participation of more than 18,500 individuals and more than 98 organizations who implemented Project programs, activities, and best practices. Thirty-six new community policies, plans and initiatives which were implemented as part of the Project have improved built environment infrastructure, food systems, and tobacco use across Salinas to support better health among residents.
Going forward, local leaders and volunteers continue to champion the work of Blue Zones Project as the initiative continues across Monterey County. The rest of the Monterey County projects are expected to undergo certification review in the Spring of 2025.