Photo: Evanoco · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Lake City is healthier than 61%
Lake City differs from South Carolina on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 20 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lake City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lake City
Making ends meet is harder in Lake City
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (31.6%), vs 17.4% across South Carolina. Utility shut-off threats (16.8% vs 8.9%) and housing insecurity (23.8% vs 13.3%) are higher too. 23.4% of adults receive SNAP, vs 10.5% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Stroke, diabetes and obesity run high in Lake City
1 in 17 adults have had a stroke (5.9%), vs 3.9% across South Carolina. 1 in 5 adults have diabetes (20.2%), vs 13.9% across South Carolina. Obesity is also above the state: 46.2%, vs 35.8% across South Carolina. In all, Lake City runs above South Carolina on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
More Lake City adults get no exercise
36.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 25.8% across South Carolina. Habits ↓
Lake City is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Lake City is healthier than 8%. Against the 1,019 towns with similar household incomes ($25K–$42K), it’s healthier than 61%. Health Grade ↓
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 South Carolina figure falls outside Lake City’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Lake City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake City is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns, #143 of 169 in South Carolina. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 30% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Lake City’s median household income is $33,600; among the 1,019 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($25K–$42K), it’s healthier than 61%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Lake City compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.5% (U.S. 7.9%); binge drinking, 11.2% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 84.7% (U.S. 77.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
23.4% of Lake City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.5% across South Carolina.
Out of every 100 Lake City adults…
Lake City runs below SC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 8. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with South Carolina
Share of adults, with the South Carolina figure marked.
0.4 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Care in and near Lake City
1 community health center in Lake City, 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 Lake City; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Lake City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks South Carolina.
How Lake City adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Lake City runs above South Carolina.
2 in 5 Lake City adults feel lonely. 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.
Lake City and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake City | D | 46.2% | 20.2% | 16.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lake City adults live with a disability (South Carolina 31.5%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lake City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lake City is better than South Carolina on 4 and worse on 20; on the rest, the South Carolina figure falls inside Lake City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lake City | SC | U.S. | vs SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 28.9%25.5–32.2 | 20.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.6–18.6 | 14% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.3–20.5 | 16.4% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 46.2%40.6–51.9 | 35.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 20.2%18–22.4 | 13.9% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 49.6%46–53.2 | 38.5% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 40.5%36.9–44.2 | 38.1% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.8%27.8–33.7 | 28.5% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.4%10.1–12.8 | 9.6% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.5%5.9–7.2 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%7–8.7 | 6.8% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 7.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.9%5.3–6.4 | 3.9% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21%17.7–24.4 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.8%14.4–19.2 | 13.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 36.2%31.6–40.6 | 25.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 11.2%9.3–13.4 | 15.7% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.8%37.8–47.9 | 35.8% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.2%11.8–16.8 | 11.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 84.7%82.1–87.1 | 80.6% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.7%48.4–55.2 | 63.1% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.4%85.6–89 | 86.9% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.1%81–85.1 | 80.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.8%64.8–72.8 | 69.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.4%76.2–86.2 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.7%17.9–23.6 | 22.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.9%33.7–42.4 | 31.7% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.7%27.1–34.6 | 23.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 31.6%27.9–35.8 | 17.4% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 23.8%21–27.1 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 16.8%14.7–19 | 8.9% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.7%13–16.7 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 23.4%20.3–26.9 | 10.5% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.5%35.2–43.7 | 31.5% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.2%19.5–24.7 | 15.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.6%15.5–19.7 | 14.3% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.3%5.6–7.1 | 7% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 9.2%8.2–10.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.5%11–13.8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.1%6.3–7.9 | 4.3% | 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 South Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Lake City
Is Lake City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake City is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns: D for health, #143 of 169 in South Carolina. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lake City?
CDC estimates 46.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 40.6% and 51.9%, against 35.8% across South Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lake City?
MUSC Health Florence Medical Center in Florence, 20.0 miles in a straight line from Lake City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lake City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.8–16.8%), against 11.8% across South Carolina.
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 Lake City 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 Lake City.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The South Carolina 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.