Fell, Marian, Library · Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fellsmere is healthier than 59%
Fellsmere differs from Florida on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 7 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fellsmere. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fellsmere
Making ends meet is harder in Fellsmere
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (32.8%), about twice the Florida rate. Housing insecurity (25.4% vs 13.9%) and no reliable transportation (16.4% vs 9.1%) are higher too. 30% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Fellsmere
42.2% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 57.4% across Florida. Among those 65 and older, 18.3% have lost all their teeth (Florida 12.7%). Checkups ↓
1 in 3 working-age adults in Fellsmere has no health insurance
33.7% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 15.9% across Florida. Checkups ↓
Fellsmere is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fellsmere is healthier than 33%. Against the 7,693 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 59%. 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 Fellsmere’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Fellsmere’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fellsmere is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns, #449 of 636 in Florida. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 74% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Fellsmere’s median household income is $55,893; among the 7,693 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$70K), it’s healthier than 59%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Fellsmere compares well: high blood pressure, 27.2% (U.S. 34.4%); high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 31.8% (U.S. 37.1%); arthritis, 17.8% (U.S. 25.3%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
30% of Fellsmere adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Keeping up with care
Share of Fellsmere adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
Out of every 100 Fellsmere adults…
Fellsmere runs below FL on 7 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 9% of Fellsmere residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Fellsmere
1 community health center in Fellsmere, 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 Fellsmere; ≈ 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.
23 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
How Fellsmere adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Fellsmere 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.
Fellsmere and the towns around it
Fellsmere’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fellsmere | C | 32.4% | 12.8% | 13.8% | CDC place |
| West Vero Corridor | B | 24.7% | 15.8% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Vero Lake Estates | B | 28.6% | 11.5% | 14.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fellsmere adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fellsmere
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fellsmere is better than Florida on 7 and worse on 15; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Fellsmere’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fellsmere | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.7%23.1–30.4 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.5%13.5–17.4 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.2–20.4 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.4%26.8–38.1 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.8%11.1–14.4 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 27.2%24.1–30.2 | 36.6% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.8%28.4–35.1 | 39% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 17.8%15.7–19.9 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.6%7.6–9.7 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 4%3.6–4.4 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.5–5.6 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.1%4.4–5.7 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.8%2.5–3.1 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.3%15.2–21.5 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.8%11.7–16 | 12.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 33.4%28.6–38.1 | 26.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13–18.8 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.3%36.3–48.1 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 33.7%28.9–38.4 | 15.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.4%67.1–75.2 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 42.2%38.8–45.7 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.3%76.6–81.9 | 87% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 68.5%64.8–71.5 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 51.3%46.5–56.1 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.4%61.6–76.5 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 16.3%13.8–18.9 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30%26.4–33.6 | 24.7% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 32.8%30.2–35.5 | 16.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 25.4%23–28 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15%13.4–16.8 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 16.4%15.1–17.8 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 30%27.6–32.5 | 15% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.6%29.2–37.9 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14%12–15.8 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.5%16–21 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.7%5–6.3 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 8.7%7.7–9.7 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%8.1–10.6 | 8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.2–5.3 | 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 Fellsmere
Is Fellsmere a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fellsmere is healthier than 33% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #449 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 Fellsmere?
CDC estimates 32.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.8% and 38.1%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fellsmere?
Orlando Health Sebastian River Hospital in Sebastian, 11.4 miles in a straight line from Fellsmere’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fellsmere have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 33.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 28.9–38.4%), 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 Fellsmere 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 Fellsmere.
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.