Photo: Wknight94 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Punta Gorda is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns
Punta Gorda differs from Florida on 25 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 17 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Punta Gorda. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Punta Gorda
Cancer, arthritis and heart disease run high in Punta Gorda
1 in 5 adults have had cancer (18.2%), about twice the Florida rate. 43.6% of adults have arthritis, vs 26.6% across Florida. Heart disease is also above the state: 12%, vs 7.5% across Florida. In all, Punta Gorda runs above Florida on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 54% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%), and cancer, arthritis and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Punta Gorda, and more people treating it
49.3% of adults have high blood pressure (Florida 36.6%), but 87% of them take medicine for it, vs 78.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Punta Gorda keeps up with checkups
It beats Florida on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (87% vs 78.4%) and dentist visits (66.5% vs 57.4%). 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 Punta Gorda’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
What’s behind Punta Gorda’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Punta Gorda is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns, #248 of 636 in Florida. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 98% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 8%).
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). Punta Gorda’s median household income is $85,779; among the 10,330 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$107K), it’s healthier than 65%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Punta Gorda adults…
Punta Gorda runs below FL on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Punta Gorda is an older town: 54% 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 Punta Gorda as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Punta Gorda adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
Care in and near Punta Gorda
No hospital or community health center in Punta Gorda 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 Punta Gorda; ≈ 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.
7.8 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
How Punta Gorda adults are doing
On 3 of 3 measures, Punta Gorda does better than 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.8% of Punta Gorda adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Punta Gorda and the towns around it
Punta Gorda has the best Health Grade of the 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punta Gorda | B+ | 28.4% | 16.4% | 10.1% | CDC place |
| Charlotte Park | B | 28.1% | 16.6% | 10.3% | CDC place |
| Solana | — | — | — | — | |
| Charlotte Harbor | C+ | 29.7% | 18% | 12.1% | CDC place |
Solana: 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 Punta Gorda adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Punta Gorda
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Punta Gorda is better than Florida on 17 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Punta Gorda’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Punta Gorda | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.5%16.1–20.9 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.6–17.2 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.7%10.4–13.1 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.4%24.2–32.8 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.4%14.5–18.4 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 49.3%45.6–53 | 36.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 50.8%47.1–54.5 | 39% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 43.6%40.2–46.9 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.1%8.2–10.2 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 18.2%16.8–19.8 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 12%10.7–13.2 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.8%8.6–11.1 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.3%4.8–5.8 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9.5%7.9–11.1 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.1%8.6–11.8 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 23.4%19.9–26.7 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 10%8.4–11.8 | 14.6% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.9%26.1–33.6 | 37.3% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.9%7.6–10.3 | 15.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 87%85.1–88.9 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 66.5%63.7–69.1 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 94.1%93.3–94.8 | 87% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 87%84.8–89 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 79.2%76–82 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.4%72.8–82.9 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 14.8%12.8–17 | 17.1% | 20.6% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18%15.6–20.6 | 24.7% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.5%7.6–9.5 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 6.1%5.4–7 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.1%3.6–4.7 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.8%4.4–5.4 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.8%7–8.8 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 35%31.2–38.4 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19%16.5–21.2 | 15.1% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.9%8.7–11.2 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 12.4%11.1–13.7 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.8–5.9 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.4%6.5–8.3 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.6–4.5 | 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 Punta Gorda
Is Punta Gorda a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Punta Gorda is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns: B+ for health, #248 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 65%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Punta Gorda?
CDC estimates 28.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.2% and 32.8%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Punta Gorda?
HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte, 6.8 miles in a straight line from Punta Gorda’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Punta Gorda have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–10.3%), 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 Punta Gorda more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Punta Gorda.
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.