Photo: Andyrkellergmail · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Palm Coast is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns
Palm Coast differs from Florida on 14 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Palm Coast. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Palm Coast
Cancer, arthritis and COPD run high in Palm Coast
1 in 8 adults have had cancer (11.9%), vs 9.1% across Florida. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (33.6%), vs 26.6% across Florida. COPD is also above the state: 8.7%, vs 7.2% across Florida. In all, Palm Coast runs above Florida on five of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%), and cancer, arthritis and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Palm Coast has a five-star hospital
Adventhealth Palm Coast is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Fewer Palm Coast 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 Palm Coast’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Palm Coast’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palm Coast is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns, #291 of 636 in Florida. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 81% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 25%).
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). Palm Coast’s median household income is $77,350; among the 10,806 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($58K–$97K), it’s healthier than 66%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Palm Coast adults…
Palm Coast runs above FL on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Palm Coast is an older town: 30% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Palm Coast as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near Palm Coast
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Palm Coast, 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 Palm Coast; ≈ 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).
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 Palm Coast 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.
110 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Palm Coast adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
How Palm Coast 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.
Palm Coast and the towns around it
Palm Coast’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Coast | B | 30.8% | 13.8% | 12.6% | CDC place |
| Bunnell | B− | 33% | 13.3% | 14.6% | CDC place |
| Flagler Beach | B+ | 28.6% | 13.3% | 10.7% | CDC place |
| Espanola | — | — | — | — |
Espanola: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Palm Coast adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Palm Coast
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Palm Coast is better than Florida on 8 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Palm Coast’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Palm Coast | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.2%17.2–21.5 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15%13.5–16.7 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.6–16.9 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.8%25.6–36.3 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.8%12.2–15.6 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.2%35.6–42.9 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 44.3%40.4–48.2 | 39% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 33.6%30.5–36.8 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.9%10.8–12.9 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9%8.2–9.9 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.7%7.9–9.6 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%4.1–4.8 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.5%9.6–13.7 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.6%11–14.3 | 12.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.9%21.6–28.4 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13%10.8–15.5 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.4%31.6–41.2 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.7%10.3–13.2 | 15.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.3%78.4–84 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.7%56.4–62.8 | 57.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.4%88.1–90.5 | 87% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.8%79.2–84.2 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.9%66.9–74.6 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%72.4–83.4 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.6%16–21.4 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.2%20.4–26.2 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.1%11.8–14.5 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.5%9.4–11.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.9–7.5 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.4%6.8–8.1 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.8%10.6–13 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.1%29.6–36.7 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.6%14.8–18.6 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13%11.7–14.4 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.2%8.3–10.2 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.6%5.2–6.1 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8%7.3–8.9 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.8–4.5 | 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 Palm Coast
Is Palm Coast a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Palm Coast is healthier than 59% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #291 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 66%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Palm Coast?
CDC estimates 30.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.6% and 36.3%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Palm Coast?
Adventhealth Palm Coast Parkway in Palm Coast, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Palm Coast’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Palm Coast have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.3–13.2%), 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 Palm Coast 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 Palm Coast.
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.