Photo: AtlChampion · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Atlanta as a whole is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Atlanta differs from Georgia on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Atlanta. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Atlanta
Binge drinking is the habit Atlanta doesn’t win on
17.2% of adults binge drink, vs 14.5% across Georgia, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Atlanta
Atlanta runs below Georgia on eight chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5% vs 7%), heart disease (4.5% vs 6.1%) and COPD (4.8% vs 6.5%). Conditions ↓
Atlanta has four hospitals within its borders
4 hospitals and 5 community health centers are inside Atlanta. Piedmont Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare. Getting care ↓
Health varies a lot right around Atlanta
Grades next door run from Druid Hills (A+) to East Point (C). Atlanta is an A−. Around town ↓
Atlanta is an active town
Only 21.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.5% across Georgia. The town has 104 miles of trails across 165 parks and preserves. 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 Atlanta’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
What’s behind Atlanta’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Atlanta is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns, #40 of 261 in Georgia. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 89% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 48%).
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). Atlanta’s median household income is $85,652; among the 10,335 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($64K–$107K), it’s healthier than 83%, about where its income would put it.
At 529,110 residents, Atlanta is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Everyday habits, side by side with Georgia
Share of adults, with the Georgia figure marked.
104 miles of trails across 165 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Atlanta adults…
Atlanta runs below GA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Atlanta residents are 65 or older, vs 15% across Georgia. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Atlanta
4 hospitals and 5 community health centers in Atlanta.
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 Atlanta; ≈ 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).
Atlanta and the towns around it
Atlanta’s Health Grade ranks 6th of 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | A− | 29.3% | 10.6% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Druid Hills | A+ | 22.8% | 7.6% | 6.4% | CDC place |
| South Fulton | B− | 35.1% | 14.3% | 12.3% | CDC place |
| Sandy Springs | A+ | 23.7% | 7.9% | 7.3% | CDC place |
| North Druid Hills | A+ | 23.8% | 7.5% | 7.1% | CDC place |
| East Point | C | 36.2% | 15.2% | 14.9% | CDC place |
| Candler-McAfee | C+ | 36.5% | 17.3% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Hapeville | C+ | 33.7% | 14.2% | 15.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Keeping up with care
Share of Atlanta adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
How Atlanta adults are doing
About the same as Georgia on each measure.
2 in 5 Atlanta 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.
16.9% of Atlanta adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Atlanta adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Atlanta
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Atlanta is better than Georgia on 14 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Atlanta’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Atlanta | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18%16.4–19.9 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.1%10–12.3 | 13.5% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15.6–19 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.3%25.9–33.1 | 35.2% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 10.6%9.6–11.8 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.7%29.4–34.3 | 37.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.7%28.2–33.4 | 36.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 18.6%16.9–20.4 | 24.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.9–11 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5%4.5–5.4 | 7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.5%4.1–4.9 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.8%4.4–5.3 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.3 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.8%14.5–19.3 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 21.1%18.9–23.6 | 26.5% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 17.2%14.9–19.9 | 14.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.8%37.1–44.5 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.3%10–12.7 | 13.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76%73.1–78.8 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 60.7%57.9–63.4 | 59.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%83.5–86.8 | 86.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.5%71.2–75.9 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.6%62.8–70.2 | 64.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.4%74–84.1 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.3%16.1–20.8 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.5%34.7–42.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.3%21.4–27.1 | 24.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 19.2%17.3–21.1 | 17.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 16.3%14.6–18 | 15% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.3%10–12.5 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.1%10–12.2 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.9%15.3–18.4 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.3%23.9–29 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 11.1%10.1–12.4 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.8%12.6–15.3 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.3%3.8–4.8 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.5%5.1–5.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.7–9.2 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4%3.7–4.3 | 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 Atlanta
Is Atlanta a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Atlanta is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #40 of 261 in Georgia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 83%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Atlanta?
CDC estimates 29.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.9% and 33.1%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Atlanta?
Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta, 2.2 miles in a straight line from Atlanta’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Atlanta have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10–12.7%), 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 Atlanta more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Atlanta.
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.