Photo: Connor J. Williams · CC BY 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Dunnellon is healthier than 61%
Dunnellon differs from Florida on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Dunnellon. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Dunnellon
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Dunnellon
1 in 7 adults have COPD (14.6%), about twice the Florida rate. 1 in 8 adults have heart disease (13.3%), vs 7.5% across Florida. Stroke is also above the state: 6.6%, vs 3.8% across Florida. In all, Dunnellon runs above Florida on ten of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 37% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
In Dunnellon, insurance isn’t the gap
Only 14.3% of working-age adults are uninsured (Florida 15.9%), yet 28.1% say their health is fair or poor, vs 20.3% across the state. Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Dunnellon
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (17.8%), vs 12.4% across Florida. Habits ↓
Dunnellon is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Dunnellon is healthier than 15%. Against the 2,537 towns with similar household incomes ($30K–$51K), it’s healthier than 61%. Health Grade ↓
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 Dunnellon’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Dunnellon’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dunnellon is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 48% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Dunnellon’s median household income is $40,545; among the 2,537 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($30K–$51K), it’s healthier than 61%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Dunnellon compares well: binge drinking, 11.2% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 83.5% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 88.8% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 Dunnellon adults…
Dunnellon runs above FL on 11 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Dunnellon is an older town: 37% 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 Dunnellon as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Dunnellon adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
Everyday habits, side by side with Florida
Share of adults, with the Florida figure marked.
1.5 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Care in and near Dunnellon
1 community health center in Dunnellon, 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 Dunnellon; ≈ 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).
How Dunnellon adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Dunnellon 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
17.9% of Dunnellon adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Dunnellon and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunnellon | D | 37.9% | 18.7% | 17.8% | CDC place |
| Rainbow Springs | C | 35.5% | 19.3% | 14.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Dunnellon adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Dunnellon
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Dunnellon is better than Florida on 6 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Dunnellon’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Dunnellon | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.1%24.4–31.6 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.3%17.9–22.8 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15.1–19.2 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.9%32.2–43.7 | 31.9% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 18.7%16.3–21.2 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 48%44–51.9 | 36.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 46.2%42.2–50.2 | 39% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 40.5%36.8–44.1 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.6%9.3–11.9 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 14.3%13–15.6 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 13.3%11.9–14.8 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 14.6%12.6–16.5 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.6%5.9–7.4 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.8%13.8–19.7 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.8%15–20.5 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.2%26.5–35.7 | 26.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 11.2%9.3–13.4 | 14.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.7%32.7–42.7 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.3%12.1–16.8 | 15.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.5%80.7–86 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.9%47.3–54.4 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.8%87.3–90.2 | 87% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 85.3%83–87.4 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.3%65.8–74.5 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71%63.6–77.7 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.5%17.6–23.6 | 17.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.5%19.5–25.6 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.8%15.1–18.5 | 16.8% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.6%10.2–13 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.9–8.8 | 8.6% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.9%8.1–9.8 | 9.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 17.9%16.1–19.9 | 15% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.8%38.1–47.3 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 25.9%22.6–29 | 15.1% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.3%14.2–18.4 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 13.1%11.6–14.6 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.8%7.7–9.8 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.3%10.6–13.8 | 8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.8%5.9–7.6 | 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 Dunnellon
Is Dunnellon a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Dunnellon is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: D 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 Dunnellon?
CDC estimates 37.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.2% and 43.7%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Dunnellon?
Adventhealth Ocala in Ocala, 14.7 miles in a straight line from Dunnellon’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Dunnellon have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.1–16.8%), 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 Dunnellon more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Dunnellon.
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.