Photo: Rochambeau1783 · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Lake Helen is healthier than 16%
Lake Helen differs from Florida on 12 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lake Helen. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lake Helen
Against towns with similar incomes, Lake Helen’s lead shrinks
Lake Helen is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, but 16% of the 6,263 towns with similar household incomes ($87K–$145K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, COPD and depression run high in Lake Helen
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.5%), vs 9.1% across Florida. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.9%), vs 7.2% across Florida. Depression is also above the state: 20.4%, vs 17.1% across Florida. In all, Lake Helen runs above Florida on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 31% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%), and cancer and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Lake Helen adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Florida. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Nearly everyone in Lake Helen is insured
Only 10.3% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 15.9% across Florida. 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 Lake Helen’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Lake Helen’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Helen is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns, #346 of 636 in Florida. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 73% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 32%).
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). Lake Helen’s median household income is $116,250; among the 6,263 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($87K–$145K), it’s healthier than 16%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Lake Helen adults…
Lake Helen runs above FL on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Lake Helen is an older town: 31% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. COPD, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Lake Helen as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
10.1% of Lake Helen adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lake Helen adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
Care in and near Lake Helen
No hospital or community health center in Lake Helen 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 Lake Helen; ≈ 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.
1.2 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
How Lake Helen adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Lake Helen 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.
Lake Helen and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Helen | B− | 32.7% | 13.3% | 14.1% | CDC place |
| DeLand | B− | 32.1% | 13.1% | 12.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lake Helen adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lake Helen
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lake Helen is better than Florida on 8 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Lake Helen’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lake Helen | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.8%16.8–23.2 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.3–17.4 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.7%14.7–18.8 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.7%27.7–38.2 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.3%11.5–15.3 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40%36.4–43.8 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.7%38–45.5 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.8%27.7–33.9 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.4%9.3–11.6 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.5%10.4–12.7 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.3–9.6 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.9%7.4–10.7 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.7–4.8 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.2%9.1–13.4 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.1%11.3–17.1 | 12.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 23.8%19.9–28.2 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12.2–17.1 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.8%28.1–37.6 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.3%8–13 | 15.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.1%77.2–82.8 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.7%59.3–65.9 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.3%86.4–90 | 87% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.1%78.5–83.6 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.6%67.3–75.4 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.3%68.4–81.1 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.4%17.6–23.3 | 17.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.3%19.4–25.4 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.4%10.1–12.8 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.4%8.3–10.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.1%5.4–7 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.8%6.1–7.5 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.1%8.9–11.4 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.9%28.8–37.4 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.9%13.5–18.6 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.6%11.6–15.9 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.3–9.5 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.6–6.2 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.1–9.8 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.5–4.8 | 4.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Lake Helen
Is Lake Helen a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Helen is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #346 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 Lake Helen?
CDC estimates 32.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.7% and 38.2%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lake Helen?
Adventhealth Fish Memorial in Orange City, 5.9 miles in a straight line from Lake Helen’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lake Helen have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8–13%), 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 Lake Helen 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 Lake Helen.
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.