DeSoto County Health Data
DeSoto County, Florida
Health Score
25/100
Below Avg
Life Expectancy
76.6 yr
Uninsured Rate
22.6%
Health Statistics
Life Expectancy
76.6 yr
State avg 75.8 yr
National avg 77.5 yr
Uninsured Rate
22.6%
State avg 14.4%
National avg 9%
Primary Care Providers
26
per 100K population
National avg 82
Mental Health Providers
275
per 100K population
National avg 350
Data Story
About Health in DeSoto County, Florida
DeSoto battles severe health disparities
DeSoto County residents live to 76.6 years on average, falling 1.5 years short of the U.S. average of 78.1 years. The county's alarming 26.9% poor/fair health rate—the highest among these eight counties—represents a severe health crisis affecting more than 1 in 4 residents.
Florida's worst uninsured and health rates
DeSoto County ranks among Florida's lowest-performing counties on both fronts: its 22.6% uninsured rate far exceeds the state average of 14.4%, and its 26.9% poor/fair health rate signals systemic healthcare access failure. These overlapping crises place DeSoto in urgent need of intervention and resources.
Worst health outcomes in Southwest Florida
DeSoto County's 76.6-year life expectancy trails neighboring Collier County by 7.4 years, the largest gap among these eight counties. Its critical shortage of just 26 primary care providers per 100,000 residents—less than half of Collier's density—likely contributes directly to the health disparity.
Healthcare desert with limited access
DeSoto County's crisis is acute: 22.6% of residents—nearly 1 in 4—lack health insurance, while the county has only 26 primary care providers per 100,000 people. Combined with severe poverty and agricultural workforce demographics, these barriers create a healthcare desert that drives the county's catastrophic poor/fair health rate of 26.9%.
Enrollment opens pathways to care
If you're among DeSoto County's uninsured, health coverage is your lifeline to preventive care and treatment that can change outcomes. Contact a healthcare navigator at 211 or visit healthcare.gov to explore Medicaid, marketplace subsidies, and federally qualified health center options designed for your circumstances.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Health data sourced from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
Data is informational only. Not medical or health advice. Coverage varies by county and reporting year.