Photo: Connor J Williams · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Cocoa is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns
Cocoa trails Florida on 13 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cocoa. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cocoa
Making ends meet is harder in Cocoa
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (20.2%), vs 16.8% across Florida. Utility shut-off threats (10.7% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 19.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD and obesity run high in Cocoa
1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.7%), vs 7.2% across Florida. 2 in 5 adults have obesity (37.9%), vs 31.9% across Florida. In all, Cocoa runs above Florida on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Cocoa
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.5%), vs 12.4% across Florida. Habits ↓
Health varies a lot right around Cocoa
Grades next door run from Merritt Island (B+) to Cocoa West (D−). Cocoa is a C. Around town ↓
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 Cocoa’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Cocoa’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cocoa is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns, #494 of 636 in Florida. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 43% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 16%).
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). Cocoa’s median household income is $63,105; among the 9,605 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($47K–$79K), it’s healthier than 35%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.7% of Cocoa adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Out of every 100 Cocoa adults…
Cocoa runs above FL on 5 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Florida
Share of adults, with the Florida figure marked.
8.2 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
Cocoa and the towns around it
Cocoa’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocoa | C | 37.9% | 14.9% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| Cocoa West | D− | 44% | 18.7% | 21.6% | CDC place |
| Rockledge | B+ | 33.3% | 12.3% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Sharpes | C− | 37.7% | 15.6% | 18% | CDC place |
| Merritt Island | B+ | 32.2% | 12.7% | 11.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Care in and near Cocoa
1 community health center in Cocoa, 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 Cocoa; ≈ 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 Cocoa adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
How Cocoa adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Cocoa runs above 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Cocoa adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cocoa
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cocoa is better than Florida on 0 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Cocoa’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cocoa | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23%20.6–25.6 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%14–17.4 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18%16.1–19.9 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.9%32.3–43.5 | 31.9% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 14.9%13.1–16.7 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.7%37.1–44.2 | 36.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.3%35.6–42.9 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.8%26.9–32.6 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.3–11.7 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.1%8.3–9.9 | 9.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.2–8.8 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.7%7.9–9.7 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%4–4.7 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.9%12.5–17.7 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.5%13.5–17.4 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.3%24.4–32.2 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.5%11.2–15.9 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.9%32.9–43.1 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.6%13.9–17.5 | 15.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.2%76.1–82 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53%49.7–56.3 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.3%84.7–87.8 | 87% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.1%75.4–80.5 | 78.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68%63.7–72.2 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.6%70–82.4 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.8%16.2–21.6 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26%22.8–29.4 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 20.2%18.3–22.1 | 16.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.4%14.7–18.2 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.7%9.5–12 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.8%9.9–11.8 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.7%17.8–21.6 | 15% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.1%31.3–38.9 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.5%15.6–19.5 | 15.1% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.7%14.1–17.3 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%7–8.7 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6.3–7.4 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.8–10.7 | 8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.5–5.4 | 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 Cocoa
Is Cocoa a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cocoa is healthier than 26% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #494 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 35%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cocoa?
CDC estimates 37.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.3% and 43.5%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cocoa?
Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach, 7.9 miles in a straight line from Cocoa’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Cocoa have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 13.9–17.5%), 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 Cocoa more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Cocoa.
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.