On CDC estimates, Lakeland Highlands is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns
Lakeland Highlands differs from Florida on 17 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 16 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lakeland Highlands. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lakeland Highlands
Lakeland Highlands is the healthiest of the towns around it
Its A− tops all three graded neighbors. The closest is Mulberry (B−). Around town ↓
Lakeland Highlands keeps up with checkups
It beats Florida on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (68.2% vs 57.4%) and cholesterol checks (89.6% vs 87%). Checkups ↓
Lakeland Highlands is an active town
Only 20.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.3% across Florida. Habits ↓
Fewer Lakeland Highlands adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Florida. 1 in 11 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 Lakeland Highlands’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A.
What’s behind Lakeland Highlands’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lakeland Highlands is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns, #136 of 636 in Florida. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 85% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 63%.
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). Lakeland Highlands’ median household income is $108,263; among the 7,424 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($81K–$135K), it’s healthier than 65%, about where its income would put it.
Lakeland Highlands and the towns around it
Lakeland Highlands has the best Health Grade of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland Highlands | A− | 34.4% | 10.8% | 10.5% | CDC place |
| Medulla | B− | 38.7% | 11% | 14% | CDC place |
| Mulberry | B− | 37.5% | 13.2% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| Lakeland | C | 38.9% | 13.3% | 14.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lakeland Highlands 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.
0.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.6% of Lakeland Highlands adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Out of every 100 Lakeland Highlands adults…
Lakeland Highlands runs below FL on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Lakeland Highlands
No hospital or community health center in Lakeland Highlands 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 Lakeland Highlands; ≈ 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 Lakeland Highlands adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Lakeland Highlands 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lakeland Highlands adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lakeland Highlands
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lakeland Highlands is better than Florida on 16 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Lakeland Highlands’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lakeland Highlands | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.7%13.6–17.8 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.7–14.8 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.3–16.8 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.4%29.5–39.4 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.4–12.3 | 13.5% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 34.1%30.8–37.5 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.8%38.2–45.4 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.7%25.8–31.7 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.6–10.8 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.9%10–11.9 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.7%6–7.4 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.4%5.6–7.3 | 7.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.3%3–3.6 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.8%5.6–8.3 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.5%8.9–12.3 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.1%17.1–23.3 | 26.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.1%13.6–18.8 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.4%32–41.3 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.4%8.1–11 | 15.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.6%76.6–82.3 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.2%65.2–71.2 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.6%88.2–90.8 | 87% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.1%77.3–82.6 | 78.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.1%66–74.2 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.7%72.7–84.1 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.1%16.6–21.9 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.3%18.6–24.3 | 24.7% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9%8–10.1 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.3%7.3–9.3 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.3%4.6–6 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.7%5.1–6.2 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.6%6.7–8.6 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.9%25.6–32.4 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.7%11.1–14.5 | 15.1% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.4%10.1–12.9 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.4–8 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.6–4.4 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.3 | 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 Lakeland Highlands
Is Lakeland Highlands a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lakeland Highlands is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #136 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 65%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lakeland Highlands?
CDC estimates 34.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 39.4%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lakeland Highlands?
Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland, 6.8 miles in a straight line from Lakeland Highlands’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lakeland Highlands have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.1–11%), 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 Lakeland Highlands 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 Lakeland Highlands.
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.