Photo: Calvin Beale · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Buchanan is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Buchanan trails Georgia on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Buchanan. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Buchanan
COPD, heart disease and depression run high in Buchanan
1 in 10 adults have COPD (10.4%), vs 6.5% across Georgia. 1 in 13 adults have heart disease (8%), vs 6.1% across Georgia. Depression is also above the state: 24.9%, vs 19% across Georgia. In all, Buchanan runs above Georgia on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Buchanan
50.9% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 59.2% across Georgia. Among those 65 and older, 26.7% have lost all their teeth (Georgia 14.5%). Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Buchanan
1 in 5 adults smoke cigarettes (20.8%), vs 13.6% 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 Buchanan’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Buchanan’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buchanan is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 31% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 6%).
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). Buchanan’s median household income is $52,500; among the 6,642 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$66K), it’s healthier than 20%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Buchanan adults…
Buchanan runs above GA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 11% of Buchanan residents are 65 or older, vs 15% across Georgia. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Keeping up with care
Share of Buchanan 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.
0.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Buchanan
No hospital or community health center in Buchanan 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 Buchanan; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Buchanan adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Buchanan runs above Georgia.
2 in 5 Buchanan 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.
18.4% of Buchanan adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Buchanan and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan | D | 38.6% | 14.7% | 20.8% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Buchanan adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Buchanan
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Buchanan is better than Georgia on 0 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Buchanan’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Buchanan | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.8%22.4–29.6 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.6%15.4–20 | 13.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.7%18.3–23.2 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38.6%30.7–47.3 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.7%12.8–16.8 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.9%35.6–44.3 | 37.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.5%34.3–43.1 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.4%26.1–32.8 | 24.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.7–12.3 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.1%7.3–8.9 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.1–8.9 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.4%9–11.9 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.4%3.9–4.8 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 26.7%22.7–31.1 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 20.8%17.8–24.5 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 31.4%26.5–37.1 | 26.5% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.2%12.4–18.3 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.4%32.7–46.5 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 15.6%12.9–18.6 | 13.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.7%72.8–80.2 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.9%47–54.7 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.3%80.9–85.5 | 86.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77.4%74.5–80 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.7%55.5–65.7 | 64.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.1%58.4–75.1 | 75.8% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.9%21.2–28.8 | 19% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 38%32.6–43.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.5%20.9–28.8 | 24.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 21%17.6–24.8 | 17.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.4%13–18.2 | 15% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.2%8.8–11.9 | 9.6% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.9%9.4–12.7 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 18.4%15.5–21.8 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.6%32.9–42.9 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.2%15.8–21 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.1%16.7–21.7 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.5–9.6 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7%6.2–7.8 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.8%10.3–13.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 4.2% | 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 Georgia figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Buchanan
Is Buchanan a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buchanan is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 20%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Buchanan?
CDC estimates 38.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.7% and 47.3%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Buchanan?
Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, 14.9 miles in a straight line from Buchanan’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Buchanan have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 15.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.9–18.6%), 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 Buchanan 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 Buchanan.
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.