Photo: Thomson M · CC BY 3.0On CDC estimates, Alto is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns
Alto trails Georgia on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Alto. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Alto
Alto is behind on routine checkups
It trails Georgia on five of five routine checkups and screenings: yearly checkups (74.6% vs 78.4%), dentist visits (52.8% vs 59.2%), cholesterol checks (83.4% vs 86.8%), colon screening (60% vs 64.4%) and mammograms (68.7% vs 75.8%). Checkups ↓
1 in 4 working-age adults in Alto has no health insurance
23.1% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 13.1% across Georgia. Checkups ↓
More Alto adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (31.8%), vs 26.5% across Georgia. Habits ↓
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 Georgia figure falls outside Alto’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
What’s behind Alto’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alto is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 66% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 16%).
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). Alto’s median household income is $81,250; among the 10,702 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($61K–$102K), it’s healthier than 17%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Keeping up with care
Share of Alto adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
Everyday habits, side by side with Georgia
Share of adults, with the Georgia figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Alto adults…
On every condition, Alto is about the same as Georgia. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 8% of Alto residents are 65 or older, vs 15% across Georgia. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Alto
No hospital or community health center in Alto 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 Alto; ≈ 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 Alto adults are doing
About the same as Georgia on each measure.
2 in 5 Alto 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
14.9% of Alto adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Alto and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Alto adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Alto
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Alto is better than Georgia on 0 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Alto’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Alto | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.6%22–27.4 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%14.2–17.3 | 13.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16.4–19.9 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 33.9%28.3–39.6 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.6%12.1–15 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.5%31.4–37.6 | 37.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38%34.7–41.2 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.8%21.5–25.9 | 24.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.6–10.5 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.6%6.1–7.2 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.4%5.8–7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.3%6.4–8.2 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.1%13.8–18.5 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16%14–18.1 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.8%27.8–35.8 | 26.5% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.2%13.1–17.5 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.9%31.8–42 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 23.1%20–26.2 | 13.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 74.6%71.5–77.7 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.8%49.9–55.6 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.4%81.6–85.4 | 86.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74.9%72.6–77.2 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60%56–63.8 | 64.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.7%61.9–74.5 | 75.8% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.6%18.3–23.2 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.9%34.9–43.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.3%23.4–29.4 | 24.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21.8%19.1–24.8 | 17.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 17.2%15.2–19.5 | 15% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 9.6% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.7%9.5–12 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 14.9%12.7–17.3 | 14.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.6%29.9–37.2 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.1%13.4–16.8 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.4%15.6–19.3 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.4–7.9 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%6.1–7.4 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.6–10.7 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 4.2% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Georgia figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Alto
Is Alto a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Alto is healthier than 28% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 17%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Alto?
CDC estimates 33.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.3% and 39.6%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Alto?
Northeast Georgia Medical Center Habersham in Demorest, 7.5 miles in a straight line from Alto’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Alto have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 23.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 20–26.2%), against 13.1% across Georgia.
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 Alto more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Alto.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Georgia 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.