Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Fort Myers is healthier than 56%
Fort Myers trails Florida on 9 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fort Myers. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fort Myers
Fort Myers is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Fort Myers is healthier than 39%. Against the 9,684 towns with similar household incomes ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 56%. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Fort Myers
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.1%), vs 16.8% across Florida. Utility shut-off threats (11% vs 8.6%) and no reliable transportation (11.4% vs 9.1%) are higher too. 21% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Health varies a lot right around Fort Myers
Grades next door run from McGregor (A) to Tice (D). Fort Myers is a C+. Around town ↓
Fort Myers has a five-star hospital
Lee Memorial Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
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 Fort Myers’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind Fort Myers’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Myers is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns, #409 of 636 in Florida. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 71% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 17%).
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). Fort Myers’ median household income is $63,732; among the 9,684 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$80K), it’s healthier than 56%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
21% of Fort Myers adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Care in and near Fort Myers
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Fort Myers, 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 Fort Myers; ≈ 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).
Fort Myers and the towns around it
Fort Myers’s Health Grade ranks 8th of 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Myers | C+ | 33% | 14.8% | 14.3% | CDC place |
| Tice | D | 37.1% | 16.3% | 19.1% | CDC place |
| Gateway | A | 27.8% | 11.2% | 10% | CDC place |
| Whiskey Creek | A− | 27.8% | 13.1% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Buckingham | B | 30.6% | 12.6% | 13.7% | CDC place |
| Lehigh Acres | C− | 35.7% | 14.7% | 15.7% | CDC place |
| Cape Coral | B | 30.6% | 13.4% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| North Fort Myers | C+ | 30.5% | 18.5% | 13.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Out of every 100 Fort Myers adults…
Fort Myers runs above FL on 2 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.
41 miles of trails across 39 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fort Myers adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
How Fort Myers adults are doing
About the same as Florida on each measure.
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 Fort Myers adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fort Myers
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fort Myers is better than Florida on 0 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Fort Myers’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fort Myers | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.6%20.5–24.9 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.6–16.7 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15.2–18.6 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33%28.4–38.1 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.8%13.3–16.6 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.6%35.4–42 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.6%35.3–42.1 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.1%25.6–30.9 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%8.9–11.1 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.5%8.7–10.3 | 9.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.9%7.2–8.7 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.2%7.5–9 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%4–4.6 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13.2%11–15.6 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.3%12.8–16.1 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.8%25.6–32.4 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.1%11.8–16.6 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37%32.3–41.9 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 19.1%17.3–21.1 | 15.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.1%76.2–82 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.2%52.1–58.4 | 57.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.6%84.1–87.2 | 87% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.9%75.4–80.3 | 78.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.4%63.2–71.5 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.8%70.4–82.4 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.5%15.2–20.2 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25.4%22.2–28.7 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.1%19.3–22.9 | 16.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.9%15.2–18.6 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11%9.8–12.2 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.4%10.4–12.4 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21%19.3–22.7 | 15% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.5%30.3–36.9 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.4%14.8–18.2 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.5%14–17 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.7%6.9–8.5 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.4%6.9–8 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.8%8.9–10.7 | 8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.7–5.5 | 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 Fort Myers
Is Fort Myers a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fort Myers is healthier than 39% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #409 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 Fort Myers?
CDC estimates 33% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.4% and 38.1%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fort Myers?
Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, 2.6 miles in a straight line from Fort Myers’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fort Myers have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 19.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 17.3–21.1%), 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 Fort Myers more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fort Myers.
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.