Photo: Thomsonmg2000 · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Apalachicola is healthier than 82%
Apalachicola differs from Florida on 11 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Apalachicola. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Apalachicola
Apalachicola is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Apalachicola is healthier than 46%. Against the 6,415 towns with similar household incomes ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 82%. Health Grade ↓
COPD, stroke and cancer run high in Apalachicola
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.1%), vs 7.2% across Florida. 1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.7%), vs 3.8% across Florida. Cancer is also above the state: 11.2%, vs 9.1% across Florida. In all, Apalachicola runs above Florida on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 32% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%), and COPD, stroke and cancer are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Apalachicola, and more people treating it
44.5% of adults have high blood pressure (Florida 36.6%), but 81.7% of them take medicine for it, vs 78.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Apalachicola keeps up with checkups
It beats Florida on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (82% vs 78.4%) and cholesterol checks (88.9% vs 87%). Checkups ↓
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 Florida figure falls outside Apalachicola’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Apalachicola’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Apalachicola is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 74% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 12%).
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). Apalachicola’s median household income is $51,875; among the 6,415 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 82%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Apalachicola compares well: checkup in the past year, 82% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 88.9% (U.S. 87.1%); taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 81.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Apalachicola adults…
Apalachicola runs above FL on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Apalachicola is an older town: 32% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Apalachicola as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Apalachicola adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
Care in and near Apalachicola
1 hospital in Apalachicola, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Apalachicola; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Florida
Share of adults, with the Florida figure marked.
1 mile of trails across 12 parks and preserves
How Apalachicola adults are doing
About the same as Florida on each measure.
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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.8% of Apalachicola adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Apalachicola and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apalachicola | B− | 32.4% | 15.5% | 13.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Apalachicola adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Apalachicola
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Apalachicola is better than Florida on 5 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Apalachicola’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Apalachicola | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.1%18.3–24.2 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.5–17.6 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%13.9–17.9 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.4%26.1–39.4 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.5%13.4–17.7 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 44.5%40.3–48.9 | 36.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41%36.6–45.4 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.1%28.7–35.8 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.7 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.2%10.1–12.4 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.6%7.7–9.8 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.1%7.9–10.6 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.2%11–15.7 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.8%11.7–16.4 | 12.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.3%23.1–31.8 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.9%10.5–15.6 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.6%29.3–40.1 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.7%10.6–15 | 15.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82%78.8–84.9 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.8%52.4–59.2 | 57.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.9%87.3–90.4 | 87% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.7%79–84.3 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 73.3%69.2–77.3 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.8%66.8–80.2 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.2%14.5–20.4 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.4%21.4–27.7 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.1%16.4–19.8 | 16.8% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14%12.5–15.5 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.3%8.2–10.4 | 8.6% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.6%8.7–10.5 | 9.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.8%16.1–19.5 | 15% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.9%28.7–37.4 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.4%15–20 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.7%12–15.6 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.3%7.3–9.4 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%7.9–10.3 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.2–5.4 | 4.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Florida figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Apalachicola
Is Apalachicola a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Apalachicola is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns: B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Apalachicola?
CDC estimates 32.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.1% and 39.4%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Apalachicola?
George E Weems Memorial Hospital in Apalachicola, 0.3 miles in a straight line from Apalachicola’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Apalachicola have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.6–15%), against 15.9% across Florida.
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 Apalachicola more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Apalachicola.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Florida 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.