Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr. · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Eglin AFB is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Eglin AFB differs from Florida on 20 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 7 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Eglin AFB. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Eglin AFB
Binge drinking is the habit Eglin AFB doesn’t win on
25.2% of adults binge drink, vs 14.6% across Florida, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Mental distress runs high in Eglin AFB
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (21.7%), vs 15.8% across Florida. Depression is above the state too: 21.4%, vs 17.1% across Florida. Mind & connection ↓
Heart disease and cancer are less common in Eglin AFB
Eglin AFB runs below Florida on eight chronic conditions, most of all heart disease (1.4% vs 7.5%), cancer (2% vs 9.1%) and stroke (0.9% vs 3.8%). A young population is part of it: only 3% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%). Conditions ↓
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 Eglin AFB’s likely range.
What’s behind Eglin AFB’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Eglin AFB is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #80 of 636 in Florida. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than almost every U.S. town); mental distress pulls it down (better than 3%).
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). Eglin AFB’s median household income is $84,167; among the 10,459 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$105K), it’s healthier than 94%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Florida
Share of adults, with the Florida figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Out of every 100 Eglin AFB adults…
Eglin AFB runs below FL on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 3% of Eglin AFB residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
How Eglin AFB adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Eglin AFB 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.
Care in and near Eglin AFB
1 hospital in Eglin AFB, 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 Eglin AFB; ≈ 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 Eglin AFB adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.6% of Eglin AFB adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Eglin AFB and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eglin AFB | A | 27% | 3.2% | 9.9% | CDC place |
| Lake Lorraine | A | 28.5% | 10.6% | 10.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Eglin AFB adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Eglin AFB
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Eglin AFB is better than Florida on 13 and worse on 7; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Eglin AFB’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Eglin AFB | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.9%10–14.3 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.4%7.2–9.7 | 14.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.7%18.8–24.5 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27%22.2–32.1 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 3.2%2.7–3.7 | 13.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 14.6%12.5–16.8 | 36.6% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 17.7%15.3–20.4 | 39% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 8.3%7.1–9.6 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.4–10.6 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 2%1.8–2.2 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 1.4%1.2–1.6 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 2.3%1.9–2.7 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 0.9%0.8–1 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.1%9–13.4 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.9%7.9–12.1 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 16.8%13.7–20.1 | 26.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 25.2%21.3–29.3 | 14.6% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.9%34.4–45.4 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.2%11.6–17.4 | 15.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 65.6%61.2–70 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56.8%53.1–60.4 | 57.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 75.6%71.8–79.1 | 87% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 41.3%37.2–45.3 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 56.2%51.3–60.7 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.6%64.7–79.3 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.4%18.4–24.6 | 17.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.2%21–27.6 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.3%12.8–15.9 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.4%12.8–16.1 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.6%7.6–9.7 | 8.6% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.8%8.9–10.7 | 9.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.6%10.3–12.9 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.5%19.8–27.6 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 4%3.4–4.7 | 15.1% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.2%13.7–18.8 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 2.5%2.2–2.9 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3%2.6–3.5 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.1%5.2–7.2 | 8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 1.5%1.3–1.7 | 4.1% | 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 Florida figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Eglin AFB
Is Eglin AFB a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Eglin AFB is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #80 of 636 in Florida. 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 Eglin AFB?
CDC estimates 27% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.2% and 32.1%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Eglin AFB?
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital in Fort Walton Beach, 4.9 miles in a straight line from Eglin AFB’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Eglin AFB have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.6–17.4%), 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 Eglin AFB more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Eglin AFB.
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.