Rockledge Drive Residential District · Photo: Fl295 at English Wikipedia · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Rockledge is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns
Rockledge differs from Florida on 12 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 11 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Rockledge. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Rockledge
Rockledge keeps up with checkups
It beats Florida on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including dentist visits (61.3% vs 57.4%) and cholesterol checks (88.8% vs 87%). Checkups ↓
Health varies a lot right around Rockledge
Grades next door run from Viera East (A−) to Cocoa West (D−). Rockledge is a B+. Around town ↓
Fewer Rockledge 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 ↓
Rockledge is an active town
Only 22.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.3% across Florida. The town has 13 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves. 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 Rockledge’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Rockledge’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rockledge is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, #212 of 636 in Florida. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 76% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 46%).
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). Rockledge’s median household income is $84,255; among the 10,455 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($63K–$105K), it’s healthier than 74%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Rockledge adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
Rockledge and the towns around it
Rockledge’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockledge | B+ | 33.3% | 12.3% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| Viera East | A− | 30% | 12.3% | 9% | CDC place |
| Cocoa | C | 37.9% | 14.9% | 15.5% | CDC place |
| Cocoa West | D− | 44% | 18.7% | 21.6% | CDC place |
| Merritt Island | B+ | 32.2% | 12.7% | 11.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.1% of Rockledge 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.
13 miles of trails across 12 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Rockledge adults…
Rockledge runs below FL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Rockledge
1 community health center in Rockledge, 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 Rockledge; ≈ 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 Rockledge 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Rockledge adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Rockledge
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Rockledge is better than Florida on 11 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Rockledge’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Rockledge | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.2%15–19.3 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.8–15 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.9%14.1–17.6 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.3%28–38.8 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.3%10.8–13.9 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.6%34–41.2 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 39.6%35.9–43.2 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.2%26.3–32.2 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.7–10.9 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.3%9.4–11.2 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.4–7.8 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.1%6.2–7.8 | 7.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.6%3.3–3.9 | 3.8% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.1%6.6–9.8 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%10.1–13.6 | 12.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22.2%18.9–25.6 | 26.3% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12.2–17.2 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.4%29.6–39.4 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.5%9–12.2 | 15.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.8%76.7–82.6 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.3%58–64.5 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.8%87.3–90.2 | 87% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.7%75.9–81.2 | 78.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.4%68.4–76.1 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.8%72.7–84.1 | 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 | 23.9%20.8–27.1 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.2%11.8–14.7 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.4%10–12.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.1%6.2–8 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.1%9.9–12.5 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.8%26.1–33.2 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14%12.2–15.8 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.5%11.1–13.9 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.5–8 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.6%4.2–5 | 6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.2%6.4–8 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.8 | 4.1% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Rockledge
Is Rockledge a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Rockledge is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #212 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 74%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Rockledge?
CDC estimates 33.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 28% and 38.8%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Rockledge?
Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach, 6.7 miles in a straight line from Rockledge’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Rockledge have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9–12.2%), 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 Rockledge 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 Rockledge.
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.