Buckingham School · Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Buckingham is healthier than 31%
Buckingham differs from Florida on 8 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Buckingham. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Buckingham
Against towns with similar incomes, Buckingham’s lead shrinks
Buckingham is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, but 31% of the 6,786 towns with similar household incomes ($84K–$141K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Buckingham is an older town
29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Conditions like heart disease and arthritis become more common with age, so keep that in mind when comparing Buckingham with the state. Conditions ↓
Fewer Buckingham adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Florida. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Buckingham’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Buckingham’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buckingham is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns, #273 of 636 in Florida. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 81% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). Buckingham’s median household income is $112,568; among the 6,786 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($84K–$141K), it’s healthier than 31%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Buckingham adults…
Buckingham runs above FL on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Buckingham is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Buckingham as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.9% of Buckingham adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Care in and near Buckingham
No hospital or community health center in Buckingham 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 Buckingham; ≈ 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.
19 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Buckingham adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
How Buckingham adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Buckingham does better than Florida.
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.
Buckingham and the towns around it
Buckingham’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 4 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckingham | B | 30.6% | 12.6% | 13.7% | CDC place |
| Lehigh Acres | C− | 35.7% | 14.7% | 15.7% | CDC place |
| Verandah | A− | 26.6% | 15.3% | 7.8% | CDC place |
| Fort Myers | C+ | 33% | 14.8% | 14.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Buckingham adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Buckingham
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Buckingham is better than Florida on 7 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Buckingham’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Buckingham | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18%15.7–20.6 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.7–16.1 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.5%14.7–18.5 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.6%26–35.8 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.6%11–14.2 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.1%32.8–39.5 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.3%36–42.9 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.9%26.2–31.9 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.4–11.3 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.7–8.3 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.9%6.9–9.1 | 7.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.3–4.1 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.1%9.1–13.3 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.7%11.5–16 | 12.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.8%20.4–27.5 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.2%13.6–19 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 33.7%29.1–38.5 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.8%9.9–14 | 15.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.7%75.6–81.6 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.7%59.5–65.9 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%86–89.3 | 87% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.8%75.1–80.5 | 78.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.4%62–70.7 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.7%68.9–81.7 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.4%16.8–22.4 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.9%18.1–23.9 | 24.7% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.4%9.3–11.6 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.3%8.2–10.4 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.8%5.1–6.6 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.3%5.7–6.9 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.9%7.9–10 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.7%26.3–33.4 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14%12.2–16.2 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%12–15.3 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5%4.5–5.6 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.9%6.9–8.9 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.3–4.3 | 4.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Buckingham
Is Buckingham a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buckingham is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #273 of 636 in Florida. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Buckingham?
CDC estimates 30.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26% and 35.8%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Buckingham?
HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital in Lehigh Acres, 5.9 miles in a straight line from Buckingham’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Buckingham have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.9–14%), 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 Buckingham more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Buckingham.
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.