Gainesville is healthier than 68% of U.S. towns
Gainesville differs from Florida on 18 of 33 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (5.2% vs 9.1%) and fewer adults with heart disease (4.5% vs 7.5%). Where it trails the state: more adults in frequent mental distress (21.3% vs 15.8%).
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Gainesville. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Gainesville
Read from the numbers below. The page puts what stands out first.
Care in and near Gainesville
2 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Gainesville, 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 Gainesville; ≈ 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).
How Gainesville adults are doing
On 2 of 2 measures, Gainesville 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with Florida
Gainesville is #148 of 633 in FL for the most active adults.
58 miles of trails across 61 parks and preserves
Gainesville’s Health Grade: B+
On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Gainesville is healthier than 68% of U.S. towns, and than 97% of towns with similar incomes.
Better than its income would suggest. Gainesville is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is B+.
How the Health Grade works
- Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as the Healthiest towns in Florida ranking.
- Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places): A+ is the top 5%, A the next 10%, A− the next 10%, the B range the next 30%, the C range the next 30%, D and D− the bottom 15%. There’s no F.
- Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Gainesville with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
- Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Out of every 100 Gainesville adults…
Gainesville runs below FL on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Gainesville residents are 65 or older, vs 21% across Florida. Heart disease, copd and arthritis run low partly because the town is young. College towns can run higher on other measures, like food insecurity and mental distress, which students report more often.
Keeping up with care
Share of Gainesville adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Florida.
Gainesville and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Gainesville adults live with a disability (Florida 31.3%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
All 33 CDC measures for Gainesville
| Measure | Gainesville | Likely range | Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic conditions | ||||
| High blood pressure | 26.8% | 24–29.8% | 36.6% | better |
| High cholesterol | 30.2% | 27.2–33.5% | 39% | better |
| Obesity | 31.2% | 26.3–36.8% | 31.9% | about the same |
| Arthritis | 17.5% | 15.6–19.6% | 26.6% | better |
| Depression | 22.2% | 19.2–25.5% | 17.1% | worse |
| Lost all teeth (65+) | 13.8% | 11.5–16.1% | 12.7% | about the same |
| Asthma | 10.6% | 9.5–12% | 9.4% | worse |
| Cancer (not skin) | 5.2% | 4.8–5.7% | 9.1% | better |
| Diabetes | 8.8% | 7.7–9.9% | 13.5% | better |
| COPD | 5.6% | 5.1–6.2% | 7.2% | better |
| Heart disease | 4.5% | 4.1–4.9% | 7.5% | better |
| Stroke | 2.5% | 2.4–2.7% | 3.8% | better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.8% | 10.4–13.4% | 12.4% | about the same |
| Binge drink | 17.8% | 14.9–21.1% | 14.6% | worse |
| Get no exercise | 22.2% | 19.2–25.7% | 26.3% | better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.3% | 32.6–42.2% | 37.3% | about the same |
| Care & screenings | ||||
| Yearly checkup | 74.8% | 71.2–78.4% | 78.4% | about the same |
| Dentist visit | 51.9% | 48.5–55.1% | 57.4% | worse |
| Cholesterol check | 76.3% | 73.9–78.7% | 87% | worse |
| Colon screening | 65% | 60.6–69.2% | 65.7% | about the same |
| Mammogram | 73.3% | 66.5–79.4% | 76.1% | about the same |
| Taking BP meds | 66.9% | 64.5–69.3% | 78.4% | worse |
| No health insurance | 13.9% | 12.3–15.7% | 15.9% | better |
| Mind & connection | ||||
| Frequent mental distress | 21.3% | 19.3–23.7% | 15.8% | worse |
| Fair or poor health | 19% | 17–21.3% | 20.3% | about the same |
| Frequent physical distress | 12.1% | 10.8–13.6% | 14.3% | better |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.4% | 29–36.3% | 31.3% | |
| Walking or climbing stairs | 10.4% | 9.3–11.7% | 15.1% | |
| Thinking or memory | 18.7% | 17–20.6% | 13.7% | |
| Hearing | 5.2% | 4.6–5.8% | 7.6% | |
| Vision | 6.2% | 5.8–6.8% | 6% | |
| Dressing or bathing | 3.5% | 3.3–3.8% | 4.1% | |
| Errands alone | 10% | 9.1–11.1% | 8% | |
How CDC estimates town health
CDC combines a large national health survey with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Gainesville door to door.
Every figure has a likely range. When the Florida figure falls inside it, we don’t call Gainesville better or worse.
CDC publishes Gainesville directly, so these are its own figures.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Gainesville.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
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.