Photo: Lincolnh · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Decatur is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns
Decatur differs from Georgia on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 23 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Decatur. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Decatur
Decatur is an active town
Only 14.6% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 26.5% across Georgia. The town has 10 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Decatur
Decatur runs below Georgia on seven chronic conditions, most of all COPD (3.8% vs 6.5%), stroke (2.4% vs 3.6%) and diabetes (8.9% vs 13.3%). Conditions ↓
Few Decatur adults smoke
7.7% of adults smoke cigarettes, 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 Decatur’s likely range.
What’s behind Decatur’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Decatur is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns, #10 of 261 in Georgia. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than 98% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 92%.
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). Decatur’s median household income is $139,397; among the 3,626 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($105K–$174K), it’s healthier than 96%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Georgia
Share of adults, with the Georgia figure marked.
10 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Decatur adults…
Decatur runs below GA on 8 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Decatur
No hospital or community health center in Decatur 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 Decatur; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Decatur adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
How Decatur adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Decatur does better than Georgia.
1 in 3 Decatur 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.
5.1% of Decatur adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Decatur and the towns around it
Decatur’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | A+ | 25.4% | 8.9% | 7.7% | CDC place |
| North Decatur | A+ | 24.1% | 9.1% | 7.3% | CDC place |
| Belvedere Park | B | 34.3% | 13.6% | 12.8% | CDC place |
| Druid Hills | A+ | 22.8% | 7.6% | 6.4% | CDC place |
| Atlanta | A− | 29.3% | 10.6% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Scottdale | A− | 28.8% | 10.7% | 11.5% | CDC place |
| Avondale Estates | A | 26.9% | 11.1% | 9.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Decatur adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Decatur
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Decatur is better than Georgia on 23 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Decatur’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Decatur | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 11.4%9.9–12.9 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 9.5%8.4–10.7 | 13.5% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.2%11.8–14.8 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 25.4%21.9–29 | 35.2% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.9%7.8–10 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.8%28–33.6 | 37.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.2%33.1–39.3 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.2%18.1–22.4 | 24.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.4–10.6 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.9%7.2–8.7 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.2%3.7–4.6 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 3.8%3.4–4.3 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.2–2.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.4%5.2–7.7 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 7.7%6.4–9 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 14.6%12.5–16.9 | 26.5% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 16.9%14.4–19.5 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 29.8%26–34 | 38.4% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.6%5.7–7.8 | 13.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.9%76–81.5 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 71.8%69–74.4 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 91.2%89.9–92.3 | 86.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.9%73.9–79.5 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68%63.9–71.9 | 64.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.9%75.4–85.8 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.3%16–20.7 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.2%29.5–36.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18%15.6–20.6 | 24.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 7.3%6.1–8.7 | 17.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.2%6.2–8.5 | 15% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 4.7%4–5.5 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4.8%4.2–5.5 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 5.1%4.2–6.1 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 18%15.8–20.4 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.1%7.1–9.2 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.4%8.2–10.5 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.6%4.1–5.2 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.1%2.8–3.4 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.2%4.6–5.8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.3%2.1–2.6 | 4.2% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Decatur
Is Decatur a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Decatur is healthier than 98% of U.S. towns: A+ for health, #10 of 261 in Georgia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 96%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Decatur?
CDC estimates 25.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 21.9% and 29%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Decatur?
Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, 2.3 miles in a straight line from Decatur’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Decatur have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.7–7.8%), 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 Decatur more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Decatur.
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.