Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Ruskin is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns
Ruskin differs from Florida on 17 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 11 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ruskin. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ruskin
Ruskin is behind on routine checkups
It trails Florida on four of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (75% vs 78.4%), dentist visits (53.4% vs 57.4%), cholesterol checks (84% vs 87%) and colon screening (61.1% vs 65.7%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Ruskin
1 in 5 adults worry about having enough food (21.6%), vs 16.8% across Florida. Utility shut-off threats (11.5% vs 8.6%) and housing insecurity (18.5% vs 13.9%) are higher too. 19.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Ruskin
Ruskin runs below Florida on four chronic conditions, most of all cancer (6.2% vs 9.1%), heart disease (5.6% vs 7.5%) and arthritis (21.1% vs 26.6%). A young population is part of it: only 11% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%). Conditions ↓
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 Ruskin’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Ruskin’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ruskin is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns, #357 of 636 in Florida. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 68% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 35%).
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). Ruskin’s median household income is $79,235; among the 10,784 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($59K–$99K), it’s healthier than 51%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ruskin 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.
19.9% of Ruskin adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Out of every 100 Ruskin adults…
Ruskin runs below FL on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Ruskin residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Ruskin
1 community health center in Ruskin, 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 Ruskin; ≈ 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.
5.4 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Ruskin adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Ruskin 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.
Ruskin and the towns around it
Ruskin’s Health Grade ranks 3rd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruskin | B− | 33.6% | 12.2% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Sun City Center | B | 26.7% | 18% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Apollo Beach | A | 28.8% | 11.3% | 10.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ruskin adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ruskin
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ruskin is better than Florida on 6 and worse on 11; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Ruskin’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ruskin | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21%18.8–23.3 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.4–15.5 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.9%16.1–19.9 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.6%28.9–38.5 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.2%10.7–13.7 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 33.2%30.2–36.4 | 36.6% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%34.4–41.3 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.1%18.8–23.4 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.7–10.9 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.2%5.6–6.8 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.6%5–6.2 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.8–3.3 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.8%12.3–17.6 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.9%12.1–15.7 | 12.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.8%22.5–29.3 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.3–19.8 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.8%36.1–45.5 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 19.5%17.3–22 | 15.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75%71.5–78.2 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 53.4%50.1–56.6 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 84%82.1–85.8 | 87% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.4%69.3–75.3 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.1%56.4–65.4 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78%71.6–83.4 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.1%14.8–19.7 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.4%24–31 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.6%19.6–23.8 | 16.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.5%16.5–20.6 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.5%10.1–12.9 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.5%10.4–12.6 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19.9%18–21.9 | 15% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30.8%27.5–34.2 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 13.3%11.7–14.8 | 15.1% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.3%13.7–16.9 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.8%5.2–6.5 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.2%5.7–6.8 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.5–9.2 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.7–4.4 | 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 Ruskin
Is Ruskin a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ruskin is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #357 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 51%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ruskin?
CDC estimates 33.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.9% and 38.5%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ruskin?
HCA Florida South Shore Hospital in Sun City Center, 3.5 miles in a straight line from Ruskin’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Ruskin have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 19.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 17.3–22%), 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 Ruskin 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 Ruskin.
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.