Photo: formulanone · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Pahokee is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns
Pahokee differs from Florida on 25 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 23 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Pahokee. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Pahokee
Dental care lags in Pahokee
35.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 57.4% across Florida. Among those 65 and older, 25.5% have lost all their teeth (Florida 12.7%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Pahokee
2 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (40.5%), more than twice the Florida rate. Utility shut-off threats (21.4% vs 8.6%) and no reliable transportation (20.7% vs 9.1%) are higher too. 45.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Pahokee adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (40.7%), vs 26.3% across Florida. Habits ↓
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 Pahokee’s likely range.
What’s behind Pahokee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pahokee is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns, #611 of 636 in Florida. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 34% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). Pahokee’s median household income is $53,359; among the 6,895 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$67K), it’s healthier than 9%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Pahokee compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.6% (U.S. 7.9%); binge drinking, 11.1% (U.S. 15.4%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Pahokee 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.
45.2% of Pahokee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Everyday habits, side by side with Florida
Share of adults, with the Florida figure marked.
Out of every 100 Pahokee adults…
Pahokee runs below FL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Pahokee
No hospital or community health center in Pahokee 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 Pahokee; ≈ 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 Pahokee adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Pahokee 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.
Pahokee and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pahokee | D | 38.2% | 21.1% | 21.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Pahokee adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Pahokee
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Pahokee is better than Florida on 2 and worse on 23; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Pahokee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Pahokee | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 35.3%31.8–39.2 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.9%16.8–21.2 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.6%17.6–22 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.2%32.8–44.2 | 31.9% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 21.1%18.9–23.5 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43.5%40.1–47.1 | 36.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%32.9–39.8 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28%25.3–30.8 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.8–12.4 | 9.4% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.3%8.3–10.3 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.6%9.3–12 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 25.5%21.6–29.4 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.1%18.3–24.1 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 40.7%36.2–45.7 | 26.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 11.1%9.2–13.3 | 14.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 46.8%41.3–52.2 | 37.3% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 27.8%24.2–31.4 | 15.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 78%74.8–81 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 35.9%32.6–39 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.5%78.1–82.8 | 87% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%76.5–81.2 | 78.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 57.4%52.2–62.4 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.2%64.3–78.9 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.5%13.2–18.1 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32%28.3–35.7 | 24.7% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 40.5%37.8–43.2 | 16.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 30.2%27.6–32.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 21.4%19.3–23.6 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 20.7%19.1–22.3 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 45.2%42.4–47.9 | 15% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.6%38.5–47.2 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 23.8%21.2–26.6 | 15.1% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.9%18.7–23.4 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%7–8.8 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 13.1%11.8–14.6 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 14.5%12.9–16.3 | 8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 9.1%8.1–10.1 | 4.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Pahokee
Is Pahokee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Pahokee is healthier than 5% of U.S. towns: D for health, #611 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 9%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Pahokee?
CDC estimates 38.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.8% and 44.2%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Pahokee?
Lakeside Medical Center in Belle Glade, 6.5 miles in a straight line from Pahokee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Pahokee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 27.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 24.2–31.4%), 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 Pahokee more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Pahokee.
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.