Latimer Cabin · Photo: Steveirwin1 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Laguna Beach is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns
Laguna Beach differs from Florida on 16 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 13 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Laguna Beach. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Laguna Beach
Cancer and arthritis run high in Laguna Beach
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.9%), vs 9.1% across Florida. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (32.4%), vs 26.6% across Florida. Age is part of it: 33% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Laguna Beach keeps up with checkups
It beats Florida on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (69.2% vs 57.4%) and cholesterol checks (89.6% vs 87%). Checkups ↓
Fewer Laguna Beach adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Florida. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Laguna Beach’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Laguna Beach’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laguna Beach is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns, #179 of 636 in Florida. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is obesity (fewer adults with obesity than 81% of towns); the weakest is physical distress, still better than 51%.
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). Laguna Beach’s median household income is $76,607; among the 10,826 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$96K), it’s healthier than 86%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Laguna Beach adults…
Laguna Beach runs below FL on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Laguna Beach is an older town: 33% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Laguna Beach as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Laguna Beach 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.
6.4% of Laguna Beach adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Care in and near Laguna Beach
No hospital or community health center in Laguna 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 Laguna 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Florida
Share of adults, with the Florida figure marked.
3.3 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Laguna Beach adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Laguna 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.
Laguna Beach and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laguna Beach | B+ | 30.7% | 11.7% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Panama City Beach | B+ | 31.8% | 11.2% | 13.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Laguna Beach adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Laguna Beach
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Laguna Beach is better than Florida on 13 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Laguna Beach’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Laguna Beach | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.9%14.4–19.6 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.1%12.3–16 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.3–16.9 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.7%25.7–35.9 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11.7%10.1–13.4 | 13.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 39.4%35.6–43.1 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43.2%39.4–47 | 39% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.4%29.1–35.6 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.4–10.6 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.9%10.8–13 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%6.8–8.7 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.6%6.4–8.8 | 7.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.2–4.1 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.4%5.9–9 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%10–14.1 | 12.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 21.8%18.3–25.5 | 26.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 15.8%13.3–18.3 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.2%29.5–38.9 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.9%8.3–11.7 | 15.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%76–81.7 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.2%66.1–72 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.6%88.2–90.9 | 87% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80%77.2–82.4 | 78.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 74.5%70.5–78.1 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.3%68.3–81.3 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.7%16.9–22.5 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.4%17.6–23.3 | 24.7% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.1%7.2–9.1 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.8%6.9–8.9 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.9%4.3–5.6 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.7%25.9–33.6 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14%11.8–16.2 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.9%10.4–13.4 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%7–9 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.3%3.8–4.9 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.9%6–7.9 | 8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.9–3.8 | 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 Laguna Beach
Is Laguna Beach a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Laguna Beach is healthier than 74% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #179 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Laguna Beach?
CDC estimates 30.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.7% and 35.9%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Laguna Beach?
HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital in Panama City, 17.5 miles in a straight line from Laguna Beach’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Laguna Beach have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.3–11.7%), 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 Laguna Beach more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Laguna 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.