Photo: Altairisfar (Jeffrey Reed) · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Dauphin Island is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns
Dauphin Island differs from Alabama on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 19 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dauphin Island. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dauphin Island
Dauphin Island is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Dauphin Island is healthier than 77%. Against the 10,236 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 94%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and high cholesterol run high in Dauphin Island
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (12.8%), vs 8.2% across Alabama. 47.2% of adults have high cholesterol, vs 40.7% across Alabama. Age is part of it: 37% of residents are 65 or older (Alabama 18%), and cancer and high cholesterol are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
The nearest ER is 24 miles from Dauphin Island
The closest emergency room is Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, 24.1 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Altapointe Health Systems is closer (12 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
Dauphin Island keeps up with checkups
It beats Alabama on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (68.7% vs 56.9%) and cholesterol checks (92% vs 85.8%). Checkups ↓
Dauphin Island adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (27.8% vs 35.4%), frequent mental distress (12.5% vs 17.2%) and lack of emotional support (20.1% vs 24.8%) all run below Alabama. Mind & connection ↓
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 Alabama figure falls outside Dauphin Island’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Dauphin Island’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dauphin Island is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 96% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 22%).
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). Dauphin Island’s median household income is $67,206; among the 10,236 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 94%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Dauphin Island adults…
Dauphin Island runs below AL on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Dauphin Island is an older town: 37% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across Alabama. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Dauphin Island as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Dauphin Island
No hospital or community health center in Dauphin Island 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 Dauphin Island; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Keeping up with care
Share of Dauphin Island adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Alabama.
How Dauphin Island adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Dauphin Island does better than Alabama.
3 in 10 Dauphin Island 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with Alabama
Share of adults, with the Alabama figure marked.
4.9 miles of trails across 11 parks and preserves
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 Dauphin Island adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14% across Alabama.
Dauphin Island and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dauphin Island | A− | 31.7% | 14.1% | 10.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dauphin Island adults live with a disability (Alabama 36.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dauphin Island
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dauphin Island is better than Alabama on 19 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Alabama figure falls inside Dauphin Island’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dauphin Island | AL | U.S. | vs AL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.9%12.7–19.1 | 22.8% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.4%10.3–14.6 | 14.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.5%10.7–14.4 | 17.2% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.7%27.2–36.5 | 39.4% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12–16.4 | 14.8% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 43.3%39.4–47.1 | 43.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 47.2%43.7–51 | 40.7% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 34.3%30.8–38 | 30.3% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 8.5%7.4–9.6 | 10% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 12.8%11.5–14.2 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%6.8–9.3 | 7.3% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7%5.5–8.6 | 8% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.2–4.3 | 4.1% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 4.8%3.9–6 | 15.4% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.2%7.5–13 | 15.1% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.9%17.6–26.4 | 28.7% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 13.7%11.6–16.2 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.3%28.4–36.5 | 39.1% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.3%3.8–7.1 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.8%80.1–85.3 | 80.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.7%65.5–71.9 | 56.9% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92%90.7–93.2 | 85.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 84%81.4–86.5 | 78% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 77.9%74.3–81.1 | 67% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.4%76.1–86 | 77.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21%18.1–24.1 | 23.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 27.8%23.8–31.7 | 35.4% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.1%16.8–23.4 | 24.8% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.8%5.7–10.1 | 19.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.9%4.5–7.3 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.8%3–4.7 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.6%3.7–5.5 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.4%3–5.9 | 14% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.7%25.2–34.3 | 36.5% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.7%11.8–17.7 | 17.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.4%8.5–12.4 | 16.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%7.9–10.6 | 8.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.7%3.1–4.5 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.4%5.2–7.7 | 9.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.5–3.9 | 4.6% | 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 Alabama figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Dauphin Island
Is Dauphin Island a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dauphin Island is healthier than 77% of U.S. towns: A− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Dauphin Island?
CDC estimates 31.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.2% and 36.5%, against 39.4% across Alabama and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dauphin Island?
Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, 24.1 miles in a straight line from Dauphin Island’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Dauphin Island have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 3.8–7.1%), against 9.9% across Alabama.
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 Dauphin Island more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Dauphin Island.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Alabama 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.