Photo: Cullen Morgan · CC BY 4.0On CDC estimates, Sarasota is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns
Sarasota differs from Florida on 9 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sarasota. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sarasota
Sarasota has a five-star hospital
Sarasota Memorial Hospital is rated 5 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Cancer runs high in Sarasota
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.5%), vs 9.1% across Florida. Age is part of it: 29% of residents are 65 or older (Florida 21%), and cancer is more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Fewer Sarasota adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing and utility bills all run below Florida. 1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Sarasota’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Sarasota’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sarasota is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns, #279 of 636 in Florida. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 78% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 37%).
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). Sarasota’s median household income is $72,105; among the 10,675 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($54K–$90K), it’s healthier than 75%, about where its income would put it.
Care in and near Sarasota
1 hospital and 2 community health centers in Sarasota, 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 Sarasota; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Sarasota adults…
Sarasota runs above FL on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Sarasota is an older town: 29% of residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Arthritis, stroke and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Sarasota as about how healthy they are.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.3% of Sarasota 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.
14 miles of trails across 23 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Sarasota adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
How Sarasota 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.
Sarasota and the towns around it
Sarasota’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota | B | 31.5% | 12.9% | 11.9% | CDC place |
| North Sarasota | C | 37.7% | 13.9% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| South Sarasota | A− | 28.4% | 11.7% | 10% | CDC place |
| Southgate | A− | 29.5% | 10.8% | 10.6% | CDC place |
| Siesta Key | A | 26.2% | 12.4% | 7.4% | CDC place |
| Fruitville | A− | 29.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sarasota adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sarasota
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sarasota is better than Florida on 6 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Sarasota’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sarasota | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.2%18–22.5 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.5%12.9–16.1 | 14.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.6–16.8 | 15.8% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.5%26.5–36.7 | 31.9% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11.4–14.5 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.9%35.5–42.4 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41.3%37.6–44.9 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.3%27.5–33.2 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.4–10.6 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.5%10.6–12.5 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.2%7.4–9 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8%7.2–8.9 | 7.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.2%3.9–4.5 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.7%8.8–12.8 | 12.7% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%10.4–13.6 | 12.4% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 25.1%21.8–28.6 | 26.3% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.8%12.5–17.4 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.4%29.9–39.1 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.2%12.6–15.9 | 15.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.7%77.8–83.3 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61.2%58.1–64.3 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.9%86.5–89.1 | 87% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.3%78.9–83.5 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.1%64.9–73.2 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.9%68.2–81 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.4%15.9–21.2 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.7%19.6–25.8 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14.2%12.8–15.7 | 16.8% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.3%10–12.6 | 13.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.3%6.4–8.2 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8%7.3–8.8 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.3%12–14.7 | 15% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.4%28–34.9 | 31.3% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.9%14.1–17.8 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.8%11.5–14.2 | 13.7% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.6%7.7–9.5 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.8%5.3–6.4 | 6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7.3–9 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.7–4.5 | 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 Sarasota
Is Sarasota a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sarasota is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #279 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 75%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sarasota?
CDC estimates 31.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.5% and 36.7%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sarasota?
Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, 1.6 miles in a straight line from Sarasota’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sarasota have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.6–15.9%), 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota.
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.