Photo: Louisholstein · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Mulberry is healthier than 78%
Mulberry differs from Florida on 10 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Mulberry. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Mulberry
Mulberry is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Mulberry is healthier than 49%. Against the 8,227 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 78%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Mulberry
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.2%), vs 9.1% across Florida. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.4%), vs 26.6% across Florida. In all, Mulberry runs above Florida on three of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 36% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Mulberry adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Florida. 1 in 8 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 Mulberry’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Mulberry’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mulberry is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns, #367 of 636 in Florida. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 72% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 33%).
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). Mulberry’s median household income is $57,708; among the 8,227 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$72K), it’s healthier than 78%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Mulberry compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 81.6% (U.S. 76.5%); worried about having enough food, 13% (U.S. 15%).
Out of every 100 Mulberry adults…
Mulberry runs above FL on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Mulberry is an older town: 36% 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 Mulberry 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.
11.8% of Mulberry adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Care in and near Mulberry
1 community health center in Mulberry, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Mulberry; ≈ 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.
4.7 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Mulberry adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
How Mulberry adults are doing
About the same as Florida on each measure.
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.
Mulberry and the towns around it
Mulberry’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mulberry | B− | 37.5% | 13.2% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| Willow Oak | C− | 41.7% | 12.2% | 17.2% | CDC place |
| Fuller Heights | C | 39.6% | 12% | 15.6% | CDC place |
| Lakeland Highlands | A− | 34.4% | 10.8% | 10.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Mulberry adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Mulberry
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Mulberry is better than Florida on 6 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Mulberry’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Mulberry | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.2%17.5–23.3 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.3–17.3 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16%14.2–18 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.5%32.5–42.7 | 31.9% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.2%11.6–15.1 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.4%35–42 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 43%39.4–46.6 | 39% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.4%28.4–34.5 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.3 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.2%10.1–12.2 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.1–9.1 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.1%6.7–9.5 | 7.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.6–4.7 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.6%8.8–12.8 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.4%10.4–14.6 | 12.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.1%21.4–29.2 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.2%11.9–16.7 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39%34.4–43.9 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.9%12–16.3 | 15.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.3%77.4–83 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.8%58.7–65.1 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.4%86.9–89.9 | 87% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.6%79.1–83.9 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.2%63.8–72.5 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.2%64.9–78.9 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.8%16.3–21.7 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.8%20–25.9 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13%11.7–14.4 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.9%9.7–12.2 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.1%6.2–8 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.6%6.9–8.4 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.8%10.6–13.1 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.4%30.4–38.6 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.4%14–19 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.5%11.8–15.3 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.4%7.3–9.5 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%5–6.4 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.2%7.1–9.4 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.6–4.6 | 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 Mulberry
Is Mulberry a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Mulberry is healthier than 49% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #367 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 Mulberry?
CDC estimates 37.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.5% and 42.7%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Mulberry?
Bartow Regional Medical Center in Bartow, 10.9 miles in a straight line from Mulberry’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Mulberry have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12–16.3%), 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 Mulberry 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 Mulberry.
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.