Photo: DanTD · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Polk City is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns
Polk City trails Florida on 8 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Polk City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Polk City
Depression is more common in Polk City
1 in 5 adults have been diagnosed with depression (20.4%), vs 17.1% across Florida. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.2%, vs 15.8% across Florida. Mind & connection ↓
Smoking is more common in Polk City
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (15.4%), vs 12.4% across Florida. COPD, which smoking drives, is high too: 8.4%, vs 7.2% 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 Polk City’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Polk City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Polk City is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns, #484 of 636 in Florida. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 44% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 19%).
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). Polk City’s median household income is $79,762; among the 10,768 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$100K), it’s healthier than 18%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
How Polk City adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Polk City 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with Florida
Share of adults, with the Florida figure marked.
1.7 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Polk City adults…
Polk City runs above FL on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Polk City
No hospital or community health center in Polk City 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 Polk City; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Polk City 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.
18.6% of Polk City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Polk City and the towns around it
Polk City’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk City | C | 39.3% | 12.9% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| Auburndale | C− | 40.5% | 13.5% | 16.9% | CDC place |
| Lakeland | C | 38.9% | 13.3% | 14.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Polk City adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Polk City
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Polk City is better than Florida on 0 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Polk City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Polk City | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.5%20–25.3 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.6–18.2 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.2%16.4–20.2 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.3%34.3–44.6 | 31.9% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11.4–14.6 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35%31.8–38.3 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.8%37.2–44.4 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28%25.4–30.8 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.1%9–11.3 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.8%8.1–9.7 | 9.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.7–8.2 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.4%7.4–9.5 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.8%3.4–4.1 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 13%10.9–15.3 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%13.4–17.7 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 27.7%24.2–31.7 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16%13.5–18.8 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.1%37.3–47.2 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 18%15.6–20.6 | 15.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.7%73.5–79.7 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.2%49–55.6 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85%83.2–86.7 | 87% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.8%75.1–80.4 | 78.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.9%59.5–68.3 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.9%63.7–77.7 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.4%17.8–23.3 | 17.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.5%21.5–27.7 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.2%16.4–20 | 16.8% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.3%12.7–16 | 13.9% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.4%8.3–10.6 | 8.6% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10%9.1–11 | 9.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.6%16.9–20.5 | 15% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35.5%31.9–39.5 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.2%14.3–18.2 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16%14.3–17.9 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.8%7–8.7 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.3%5.7–7 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9%8–10.1 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4–4.9 | 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 Polk City
Is Polk City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Polk City is healthier than 27% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #484 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 18%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Polk City?
CDC estimates 39.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.3% and 44.6%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Polk City?
Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland, 11.2 miles in a straight line from Polk City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Polk City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 18% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 15.6–20.6%), 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 Polk City more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Polk City.
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.