Photo: SudoGhost · CC BY-SA 3.0Within Georgia, Buford is healthier than 63% of graded towns
Buford trails Georgia on 3 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Buford. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Buford
1 in 5 working-age adults in Buford has no health insurance
18.2% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 13.1% across Georgia. Checkups ↓
Buford has a community health center but no hospital
Georgia Highlands Medical Service is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Northside Hospital Forsyth in Cumming, 8.4 miles away. Getting care ↓
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 Buford’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Buford’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buford is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns, #97 of 261 in Georgia. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 59% of U.S. towns); no exercise pulls it down (better than 26%).
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). Buford’s median household income is $69,471; among the 10,482 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($52K–$87K), it’s healthier than 57%, about where its income would put it.
Keeping up with care
Share of Buford adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
Care in and near Buford
1 community health center in Buford, 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 Buford; ≈ 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).
Out of every 100 Buford adults…
On every condition, Buford is about the same as Georgia. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Buford residents are 65 or older, vs 15% across Georgia. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Everyday habits, side by side with Georgia
Share of adults, with the Georgia figure marked.
2.7 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
How Buford adults are doing
About the same as Georgia on each measure.
2 in 5 Buford 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.
13.8% of Buford adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Buford and the towns around it
Buford’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buford | B− | 35.5% | 12.9% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Sugar Hill | A− | 32.1% | 10.2% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Flowery Branch | A− | 29.7% | 9.9% | 11.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Buford adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Buford
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Buford is better than Georgia on 0 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Buford’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Buford | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.7%19.5–23.9 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.6–15.3 | 13.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%15–18.3 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 35.5%30.9–40.2 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11.5–14.3 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.4%31.5–37.4 | 37.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.4%34.2–40.6 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23%20.8–25.3 | 24.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.6–10.6 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7%6.4–7.6 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.6–6.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.5%5.9–7.2 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.7 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.2%13.7–18.9 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.9%12.3–15.7 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 29.2%26–32.5 | 26.5% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.9%11.8–16.3 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.6%32.9–40.8 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 18.2%16.3–20.3 | 13.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.9%72.8–78.8 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.9%53–58.9 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86%84.4–87.5 | 86.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.4%73.8–78.9 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.4%55.5–63.5 | 64.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.8%63.3–76 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.1%15.8–20.6 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38%34–41.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25%22–28 | 24.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.6%16.4–20.9 | 17.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 15.7%13.8–17.6 | 15% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 9.3%8.2–10.5 | 9.6% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.6%8.6–10.7 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.8%12.1–15.6 | 14.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 30%27.1–33.1 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.3%12.8–15.8 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.9%13.4–16.4 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.6%5.9–7.3 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6%5.5–6.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.9%8–9.8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.3%4–4.7 | 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 Buford
Is Buford a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Buford is healthier than 46% of U.S. towns: B− for health, #97 of 261 in Georgia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 57%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Buford?
CDC estimates 35.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.9% and 40.2%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Buford?
Northside Hospital Forsyth in Cumming, 8.4 miles in a straight line from Buford’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Buford have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 18.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 16.3–20.3%), 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 Buford more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Buford.
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.