Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Highland Beach is healthier than 52%
Highland Beach differs from Florida on 28 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 23 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Highland Beach. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Highland Beach
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Highland Beach
1 in 5 adults have had cancer (19.6%), about twice the Florida rate. 2 in 5 adults have arthritis (39.5%), vs 26.6% across Florida. Heart disease is also above the state: 10.5%, vs 7.5% across Florida. In all, Highland Beach runs above Florida on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 65% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Highland Beach keeps up with checkups
It beats Florida on five of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (88% vs 78.4%) and dentist visits (75.9% vs 57.4%). Checkups ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Highland Beach’s lead shrinks
Highland Beach is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, but 52% of the 3,091 towns with similar household incomes ($109K–$182K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Few Highland Beach adults smoke
5.8% of adults smoke cigarettes, vs 12.4% across Florida. Habits ↓
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 Highland Beach’s likely range.
What’s behind Highland Beach’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highland Beach is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, #59 of 636 in Florida. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than almost every U.S. town); diabetes pulls it down (better than 28%).
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). Highland Beach’s median household income is $145,485; among the 3,091 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($109K–$182K), it’s healthier than 52%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Highland Beach adults…
Highland Beach runs below FL on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
Highland Beach is an older town: 65% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Highland Beach as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Highland Beach 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Care in and near Highland Beach
No hospital or community health center in Highland Beach itself. These are the nearest.
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 Highland Beach; ≈ 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 Highland Beach adults are doing
On 3 of 3 measures, Highland Beach does better than 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.
2.7% of Highland Beach adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Highland Beach and the towns around it
Highland Beach’s Health Grade ranks 2nd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Beach | A | 19.9% | 13.6% | 5.8% | CDC place |
| Boca Raton | A | 23.2% | 10.4% | 8.8% | CDC place |
| Delray Beach | B+ | 27% | 13.5% | 11.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Highland Beach adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Highland Beach
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Highland Beach is better than Florida on 23 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Highland Beach’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Highland Beach | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 13.7%11.3–16.5 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12%10.2–13.9 | 14.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.7%7.5–10 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 19.9%16.2–24 | 31.9% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 13.6%11.7–15.6 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 43.5%39.4–47.6 | 36.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 47.8%43.7–52 | 39% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 39.5%35.7–43.3 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 8%7.1–9 | 9.4% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 19.6%17.9–21.3 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 10.5%9.1–12 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.1%5.7–8.8 | 7.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.8–5.2 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.3%5.8–9 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 5.8%4.5–7.3 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.9%15.4–22.8 | 26.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 8.7%7.3–10.4 | 14.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 25.6%21.4–29.9 | 37.3% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.4%4.3–6.8 | 15.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 88%86–89.9 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75.9%73–78.5 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 95.6%94.8–96.2 | 87% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 88.4%86.1–90.4 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 83.1%79.6–86.1 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 82.6%76.7–87.5 | 76.1% | 76.4% | Better |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 12.8%10.9–15.1 | 17.1% | 20.6% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 14.8%12.6–17 | 24.7% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 3.7%3.3–4.2 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 2.9%2.6–3.4 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 2%1.7–2.2 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 2.6%2.4–2.9 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 2.7%2.4–3.1 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.9%25–33.2 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.6%12.1–17.7 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 7.2%6–8.7 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 11.4%10–13 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.8%3.2–4.6 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.5%4.4–6.8 | 8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.4–3.5 | 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 Highland Beach
Is Highland Beach a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Highland Beach is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns: A for health, #59 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 Highland Beach?
CDC estimates 19.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 16.2% and 24%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Highland Beach?
Boca Raton Regional Hospital in Boca Raton, 4.3 miles in a straight line from Highland Beach’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Highland Beach have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.3–6.8%), 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 Highland Beach 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 Highland Beach.
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.