Glover School · Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Willow Oak is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Willow Oak differs from Florida on 24 of 31 measures CDC estimates: 5 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Willow Oak. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Willow Oak
Dental care lags in Willow Oak
45% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 57.4% across Florida. Among those 65 and older, 20.9% have lost all their teeth (Florida 12.7%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Willow Oak
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (25.2%), vs 16.8% across Florida. No reliable transportation (13.5% vs 9.1%) and utility shut-off threats (12.6% vs 8.6%) are higher too. 25.7% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Mental distress runs high in Willow Oak
1 in 5 adults are in frequent mental distress (20.4%), vs 15.8% across Florida. Depression is above the state too: 21%, vs 17.1% across Florida. Mind & connection ↓
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 Willow Oak’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Willow Oak’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Willow Oak is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns, #558 of 636 in Florida. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 48% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 7%).
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). Willow Oak’s median household income is $65,688; among the 10,049 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 15%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Willow Oak compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.4% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Willow Oak 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.
25.7% of Willow Oak adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15% across Florida.
How Willow Oak adults are doing
On 2 of 3 measures, Willow Oak 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.
Out of every 100 Willow Oak adults…
Willow Oak runs below FL on 5 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 6% of Willow Oak residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Heart disease, arthritis and stroke run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Willow Oak
No hospital or community health center in Willow Oak 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 Willow Oak; ≈ 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.
0.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Willow Oak and the towns around it
Willow Oak’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willow Oak | C− | 41.7% | 12.2% | 17.2% | CDC place |
| Mulberry | B− | 37.5% | 13.2% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| Medulla | B− | 38.7% | 11% | 14% | CDC place |
| Fuller Heights | C | 39.6% | 12% | 15.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Willow Oak adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Willow Oak
Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Willow Oak is better than Florida on 5 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Florida figure falls inside Willow Oak’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Willow Oak | FL | U.S. | vs FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.7%22.9–28.7 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%15.1–18.8 | 14.3% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.4%18.3–22.6 | 15.8% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.7%36.4–47.1 | 31.9% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 12.2%10.8–13.8 | 13.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.9%28.8–35.1 | 36.6% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.9%33.6–40.2 | 39% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.6%21.2–26 | 26.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.2–11.5 | 9.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.4%5.8–7 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.3%5.7–7 | 7.5% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 7.9%7–8.8 | 7.2% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.2–3.7 | 3.8% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 20.9%17.7–24.5 | 12.7% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.2%15.1–19.7 | 12.4% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.8%27.1–34.9 | 26.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17%14.4–20.1 | 14.6% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.6%39.8–49.8 | 37.3% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 24.5%21.6–27.6 | 15.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.2%69.6–76.6 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 45%41.7–48.3 | 57.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.5%78–82.6 | 87% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.9%70–75.6 | 78.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 53.9%49.2–58.7 | 65.7% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.9%62.5–76.9 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21%18.3–23.9 | 17.1% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 27.8%24.5–31.3 | 24.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 25.2%22.9–27.5 | 16.8% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.6%17.6–21.7 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.6%11.1–14.1 | 8.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.5%12.3–14.7 | 9.1% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 25.7%23.4–28.1 | 15% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.5%33.8–41.7 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.9%14.1–17.8 | 15.1% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19%17–21.1 | 13.7% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.2–7.7 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.4%6.7–8.2 | 6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.2%9.1–11.3 | 8% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.4–5.3 | 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 Willow Oak
Is Willow Oak a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Willow Oak is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #558 of 636 in Florida. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 15%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Willow Oak?
CDC estimates 41.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 36.4% and 47.1%, against 31.9% across Florida and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Willow Oak?
South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City, 9.5 miles in a straight line from Willow Oak’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Willow Oak have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 24.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 21.6–27.6%), 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 Willow Oak 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 Willow Oak.
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.