Photo: Hans J E from Lawrenceville, US · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Duluth is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Duluth beats Georgia on 19 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Duluth. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Duluth
COPD and stroke are less common in Duluth
Duluth runs below Georgia on eight chronic conditions, most of all COPD (4% vs 6.5%), stroke (2.4% vs 3.6%) and heart disease (4.2% vs 6.1%). Conditions ↓
Fewer Duluth adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Georgia. 1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Duluth has a top-rated hospital
Northside Hospital Duluth is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Few Duluth adults smoke
9.4% 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 Duluth’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Duluth’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Duluth is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns, #24 of 261 in Georgia. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 95% of towns); the weakest is no exercise, still better than 66%.
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). Duluth’s median household income is $95,331; among the 9,246 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($71K–$119K), it’s healthier than 89%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Duluth adults…
Duluth runs below GA on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.6% of Duluth adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Care in and near Duluth
1 hospital in Duluth, 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 Duluth; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Everyday habits, side by side with Georgia
Share of adults, with the Georgia figure marked.
2.1 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Duluth adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
How Duluth adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Duluth does better than Georgia.
4 in 10 Duluth 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.
Duluth and the towns around it
Duluth’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth | A | 30.6% | 10.8% | 9.4% | CDC place |
| Berkeley Lake | A | 28.8% | 11.1% | 7.7% | CDC place |
| Peachtree Corners | A− | 33% | 10.1% | 10% | CDC place |
| Suwanee | A | 29.4% | 10.2% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| Johns Creek | A+ | 20.8% | 9.3% | 7.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Duluth adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Duluth
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Duluth is better than Georgia on 19 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Duluth’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Duluth | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.3%13.5–17.2 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.2%9–11.5 | 13.5% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.5–15.6 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.6%26.1–35.5 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.8%9.5–12.2 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30%26.8–33.3 | 37.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 35.8%32.3–39.4 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 18.2%16.1–20.5 | 24.6% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 8.6%7.6–9.6 | 10.1% | 9.9% | Better |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.7%5.2–6.3 | 7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.2%3.8–4.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4%3.5–4.4 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.3–2.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8.2%6.7–10 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.4%8.1–10.8 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 23.3%20.1–26.6 | 26.5% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.2%11–15.7 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 35%30.6–39.4 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.9%10.5–13.5 | 13.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.9%73.7–80.1 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.4%61.2–67.4 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.1%86.5–89.4 | 86.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.2%72–78.1 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.9%59.3–68.1 | 64.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 73.7%66.5–79.7 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 15.1%12.8–17.5 | 19% | 20.6% | Better |
| Feel lonely | 37.4%32.9–41.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25%21.8–28.5 | 24.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.2%11.4–15.1 | 17.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.9%10.3–13.6 | 15% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.9%6–7.9 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.3–8 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.6%7.4–9.9 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 22.1%19.3–25 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.5%8.3–10.8 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.9%9.7–12.1 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.5%4–5.1 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4%3.7–4.4 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6%5.4–6.7 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.5–3 | 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 Duluth
Is Duluth a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Duluth is healthier than 86% of U.S. towns: A for health, #24 of 261 in Georgia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 89%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Duluth?
CDC estimates 30.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.1% and 35.5%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Duluth?
Northside Hospital Duluth in Duluth, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Duluth’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Duluth have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.5–13.5%), 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 Duluth 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 Duluth.
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.