Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Port St. Joe is healthier than 88%
Port St. Joe differs from Florida on 8 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Port St. Joe. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Port St. Joe
Port St. Joe is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Port St. Joe is healthier than 58%. Against the 7,594 towns with similar household incomes ($42K–$69K), it’s healthier than 88%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer and arthritis run high in Port St. Joe
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.9%), vs 9.1% across Florida. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.5%), vs 26.6% across Florida. Age is part of it: 30% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%), and cancer and arthritis are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Nearly everyone in Port St. Joe is insured
Only 9.9% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 15.9% across Florida. Checkups ↓
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 Port St. Joe’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Port St. Joe’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Port St. Joe is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns, #300 of 636 in Florida. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 77% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 22%).
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). Port St. Joe’s median household income is $55,542; among the 7,594 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($42K–$69K), it’s healthier than 88%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Port St. Joe adults…
Port St. Joe runs above FL on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Port St. Joe is an older town: 30% 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 Port St. Joe as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Port St. Joe adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
Care in and near Port St. Joe
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Port St. Joe, 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 Port St. Joe; ≈ 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.
4.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
How Port St. Joe 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.8% of Port St. Joe adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Port St. Joe and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port St. Joe | B | 34.3% | 14.1% | 12.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Port St. Joe adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Port St. Joe
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Port St. Joe is better than Florida on 5 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Port St. Joe’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Port St. Joe | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.8%16.2–21.6 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.3%12.6–16.2 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.6–17.2 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.3%28.6–40.1 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12.3–16 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 41.3%37.5–45 | 36.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.6%36.6–44.5 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.5%28.2–34.6 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.1 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.9%9.9–12 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%7–8.7 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.8%6.8–9 | 7.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.7%8.7–13.1 | 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 | 24.9%21–29.2 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.7%12.3–17.4 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35.9%30.6–41.6 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.9%8.4–11.9 | 15.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.4%77.2–83.3 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58.5%54.9–62 | 57.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 89.3%87.6–90.7 | 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) | 69.3%64.6–73.9 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.6%69.7–82.8 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.4%15.7–21.3 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.7%19.7–25.9 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.7%12.2–15.3 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12%10.6–13.6 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.9%6.9–8.9 | 8.6% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%7.1–8.7 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.8%11.4–14.3 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32%28.2–36.2 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.7%13.5–18 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.6%11–14.3 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.8 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.1%4.5–5.7 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.8%6.8–8.8 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.9%3.5–4.4 | 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 Port St. Joe
Is Port St. Joe a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Port St. Joe is healthier than 58% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #300 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 Port St. Joe?
CDC estimates 34.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.6% and 40.1%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Port St. Joe?
George E Weems Memorial Hospital in Apalachicola, 20.1 miles in a straight line from Port St. Joe’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Port St. Joe have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.4–11.9%), 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 Port St. Joe 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 Port St. Joe.
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.