Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Indian River Shores is healthier than 24%
Indian River Shores differs from Florida on 27 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 21 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Indian River Shores. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Indian River Shores
Cancer, heart disease and arthritis run high in Indian River Shores
1 in 5 adults have had cancer (21.6%), more than twice the Florida rate. 1 in 8 adults have heart disease (12.5%), vs 7.5% across Florida. Arthritis is also above the state: 43.9%, vs 26.6% across Florida. In all, Indian River Shores runs above Florida on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 73% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%), and cancer, heart disease and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Against towns with similar incomes, Indian River Shores’ lead shrinks
Indian River Shores is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns, but 24% of the 2,388 towns with similar household incomes ($117K–$195K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Indian River Shores, and more people treating it
48.2% of adults have high blood pressure (Florida 36.6%), but 89.4% of them take medicine for it, vs 78.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Indian River Shores keeps up with checkups
It beats Florida on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (89.8% vs 78.4%) and dentist visits (75% vs 57.4%). Checkups ↓
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 Indian River Shores’ likely range.
What’s behind Indian River Shores’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Indian River Shores is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns, #127 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 15%).
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). Indian River Shores’ median household income is $156,037; among the 2,388 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($117K–$195K), it’s healthier than 24%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Indian River Shores adults…
Indian River Shores runs below FL on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Indian River Shores is an older town: 73% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Indian River Shores as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Indian River Shores adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
Care in and near Indian River Shores
No hospital or community health center in Indian River Shores 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 Indian River Shores; ≈ 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.
How Indian River Shores adults are doing
On 3 of 3 measures, Indian River Shores 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.
3.2% of Indian River Shores adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Indian River Shores and the towns around it
Indian River Shores’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian River Shores | A− | 21.1% | 15% | 6.2% | CDC place |
| Vero Beach | B+ | 26.3% | 13.6% | 12% | CDC place |
| Wabasso Beach | A− | 21.8% | 15.1% | 6.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Indian River Shores adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Indian River Shores
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Indian River Shores is better than Florida on 21 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Indian River Shores’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Indian River Shores | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.4%13.1–18.1 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%11.8–15.4 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 8.6%7.5–9.9 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 21.1%16.8–25.4 | 31.9% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 15%13–17.2 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 48.2%43.8–52.4 | 36.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 50.7%46.3–54.9 | 39% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 43.9%39.8–47.8 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 7.9%7–8.9 | 9.4% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 21.6%19.7–23.5 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 12.5%11.1–14 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.6%7.2–10.1 | 7.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 5.3%4.6–6 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.7%5.5–8.1 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6.2%4.9–7.7 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.9%17.1–24.7 | 26.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 7.2%5.8–8.7 | 14.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 25.4%21.1–30 | 37.3% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 5.3%4.2–6.6 | 15.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 89.8%87.9–91.4 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 75%72.2–77.6 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 96.3%95.8–96.9 | 87% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 89.4%87.1–91.3 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 83.1%79.7–86.2 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.8%72.4–84.4 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 13.2%11.2–15.3 | 17.1% | 20.6% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 15.1%12.9–17.3 | 24.7% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 4.3%3.8–4.9 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 3%2.6–3.4 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 2.1%1.8–2.3 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 2.8%2.6–3.1 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.4%28.3–36.5 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.4%14.8–20.2 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 7.5%6.4–8.7 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 13.4%11.9–15.1 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.8–5.2 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.3–7.4 | 8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.2%2.8–3.8 | 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 Indian River Shores
Is Indian River Shores a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Indian River Shores is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #127 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 Indian River Shores?
CDC estimates 21.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 16.8% and 25.4%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Indian River Shores?
Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital in Vero Beach, 3.6 miles in a straight line from Indian River Shores’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Indian River Shores have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 5.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4.2–6.6%), 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 Indian River Shores more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Indian River Shores.
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.