Albert Carlton Estate · Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 2.5On CDC estimates, Wauchula is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns
Wauchula differs from Florida on 22 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 21 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Wauchula. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Wauchula
Dental care lags in Wauchula
39.8% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 57.4% across Florida. Among those 65 and older, 30.5% have lost all their teeth (Florida 12.7%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Wauchula
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (35.4%), about twice the Florida rate. No reliable transportation (17.8% vs 9.1%) and utility shut-off threats (16.6% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 39.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Wauchula is in the bottom 3% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Wauchula is healthier than only 3% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on all of them. Health Grade ↓
More Wauchula adults live with a disability
2 in 5 adults live with a disability (41.3%, vs 31.3% across Florida). The biggest difference is vision loss: 10.7% vs 6%. Disability ↓
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 Wauchula’s likely range.
What’s behind Wauchula’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wauchula is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns, #619 of 636 in Florida. All seven of Wauchula’s estimates fall in the lowest 10% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is fair or poor health: 31.3% of adults, against 20.3% across Florida and 19.4% nationally.
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). Wauchula’s median household income is $53,013; among the 6,792 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($40K–$66K), it’s healthier than 5%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Wauchula compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.9% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Wauchula 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.
39.7% of Wauchula adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Wauchula adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Out of every 100 Wauchula adults…
Wauchula runs below FL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Wauchula residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Wauchula
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Wauchula, 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 Wauchula; ≈ 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.
How Wauchula adults are doing
On 1 of 3 measures, Wauchula 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.
Wauchula and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wauchula | D− | 42.3% | 16.4% | 20% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Every CDC estimate for Wauchula
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Wauchula is better than Florida on 1 and worse on 21; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Wauchula’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Wauchula | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 31.3%28.1–34.6 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.6%16.7–20.7 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.9%18.8–23.1 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.3%35.4–49.7 | 31.9% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16.4%14.5–18.4 | 13.5% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 36.6%32.8–40.4 | 36.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.7%33.7–41.7 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.5%23.8–29.4 | 26.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.5 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.9%6.2–7.5 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.4%7.6–9.2 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.3%9.3–11.5 | 7.2% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.2–4.9 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 30.5%26–35.4 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20%17.5–22.6 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 37.3%32.8–42.2 | 26.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 13.9%11.4–16.7 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.6%33.3–46.3 | 37.3% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 28.8%25.4–32.4 | 15.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.5%70.6–78.1 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 39.8%36.3–43.7 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 79.2%76.6–81.4 | 87% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75%72.2–77.5 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 53.2%47.9–58.5 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.6%60–76.5 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.5%16.6–22.6 | 17.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.8%24.3–31.7 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 35.4%32.7–38.3 | 16.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 25%22.6–27.6 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 16.6%14.8–18.5 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 17.8%16.3–19.3 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 39.7%37–42.7 | 15% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 41.3%37.1–45.7 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 20%17.8–22.2 | 15.1% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.3%19.1–23.7 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.8%7.9–9.7 | 7.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.7%9.8–11.7 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13%11.6–14.4 | 8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.7%6–7.4 | 4.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
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 Wauchula
Is Wauchula a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Wauchula is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #619 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 5%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Wauchula?
CDC estimates 42.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.4% and 49.7%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Wauchula?
Adventhealth Wauchula in Wauchula, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Wauchula’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Wauchula have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 28.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 25.4–32.4%), 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 Wauchula more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Wauchula.
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.