Photo: City of Clarkston Government · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Clarkston is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns
Clarkston differs from Georgia on 22 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 18 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Clarkston. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Clarkston
Dental care lags in Clarkston
41% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 59.2% across Georgia. Among those 65 and older, 28.1% have lost all their teeth (Georgia 14.5%). Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Clarkston
37.2% of adults worry about having enough food, vs 17.7% across Georgia (about twice the Georgia rate). Utility shut-off threats (21.5% vs 9.6%) and no reliable transportation (19.5% vs 9.5%) are higher too. 35.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Clarkston adults lack emotional support
1 in 3 adults lack social or emotional support (32.3%), vs 24.6% across Georgia. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 21.3%, vs 16.9% across Georgia. Mind & connection ↓
Clarkston is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Clarkston is healthier than 15%. Against the 5,231 towns with similar household incomes ($36K–$61K), it’s healthier than 41%. Health Grade ↓
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 Clarkston’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Clarkston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clarkston is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns, #173 of 261 in Georgia. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 42% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 4%).
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). Clarkston’s median household income is $48,564; among the 5,231 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$61K), it’s healthier than 41%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Few Georgia towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Clarkston is healthier than 34% of graded towns, against 15% nationally.
Where Clarkston compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 31.6% (U.S. 37.1%); arthritis, 17.7% (U.S. 25.3%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 3.1% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Clarkston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
35.8% of Clarkston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
How Clarkston adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Clarkston runs above Georgia.
5 in 10 Clarkston 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.
Out of every 100 Clarkston adults…
Clarkston runs below GA on 4 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 4% of Clarkston residents are 65 or older, vs 15% across Georgia. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Clarkston
2 community health centers in Clarkston, 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 Clarkston; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Georgia
Share of adults, with the Georgia figure marked.
0.3 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
Clarkston and the towns around it
Clarkston’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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Clarkston adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Clarkston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Clarkston is better than Georgia on 4 and worse on 18; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Clarkston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Clarkston | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 27.3%24.4–30.4 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13.1–16.5 | 13.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 21.3%19–23.6 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.2%32.9–41.5 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.2%12.6–15.8 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.9%34.8–41.1 | 37.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 31.6%28.8–34.5 | 36.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 17.7%15.8–19.6 | 24.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 11.7%10.4–13 | 10.1% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 6.8%6.1–7.7 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 28.1%24.3–32.3 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 19.8%17.2–22.4 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.4%28.6–36.3 | 26.5% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.9%10.8–15 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.5%40–49.3 | 38.4% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 18.7%16–21.5 | 13.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 76%72.8–78.9 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 41%37.8–44.2 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.7%78.2–82.9 | 86.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.3%67.1–73.3 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 52.5%48.1–57.1 | 64.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.1%67.6–80.3 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.5%16.1–21.1 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 45%40.8–49.3 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 32.3%28.5–36.2 | 24.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 37.2%33.3–41.4 | 17.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 29.2%25.9–32.7 | 15% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 21.5%19–24.2 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 19.5%17.3–21.8 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 35.8%32–39.9 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.5%28.1–35 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.7%13–16.6 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.8%17.6–22.2 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 9.1%8.2–10.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 13%11.5–14.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.3%5.7–7 | 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 Clarkston
Is Clarkston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Clarkston is healthier than 15% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #173 of 261 in Georgia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 41%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Clarkston?
CDC estimates 37.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.9% and 41.5%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Clarkston?
Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, 5.2 miles in a straight line from Clarkston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Clarkston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 18.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 16–21.5%), 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 Clarkston 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 Clarkston.
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.