Photo: Tamparitus · CC BY-SA 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Ellijay is healthier than 73%
Ellijay differs from Georgia on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Ellijay. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Ellijay
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Ellijay
1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.8%), vs 7% across Georgia. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (9.1%), vs 6.1% across Georgia. COPD is also above the state: 9.4%, vs 6.5% across Georgia. In all, Ellijay runs above Georgia on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Georgia 15%), and cancer, heart disease and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
1 in 5 working-age adults in Ellijay has no health insurance
18.2% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 13.1% across Georgia. Checkups ↓
Ellijay is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Ellijay is healthier than 32%. Against the 5,059 towns with similar household incomes ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 73%. 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 Ellijay’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Ellijay’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ellijay is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 63% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 14%).
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). Ellijay’s median household income is $48,136; among the 5,059 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($36K–$60K), it’s healthier than 73%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Ellijay compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 81.7% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Ellijay adults…
Ellijay runs above GA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Ellijay is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 15% across Georgia. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Ellijay as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Ellijay adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
Care in and near Ellijay
No hospital or community health center in Ellijay 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 Ellijay; ≈ 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.
1.6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Ellijay adults are doing
About the same as Georgia on each measure.
1 in 3 Ellijay 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.
12.6% of Ellijay adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Ellijay and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellijay | C | 34.5% | 15.1% | 14.1% | CDC place |
| East Ellijay | C | 35.8% | 14.2% | 15.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Ellijay adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Ellijay
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Ellijay is better than Georgia on 2 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Ellijay’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Ellijay | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.2%20.5–28.4 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.8%14.4–19.3 | 13.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14–18.3 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.5%26.4–41.3 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.1%12.9–17.3 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.5%35.9–44.4 | 37.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.4%37.4–46.3 | 36.8% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 32.7%28.9–35.8 | 24.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.5%8.2–10.7 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.8%9.6–11.8 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.1%7.9–10.4 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.4%7.7–11.3 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.1–5.4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.8%13.9–20.1 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.1%11.4–17 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 31.2%25.7–36.8 | 26.5% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 13.2%10.6–15.5 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34%28–40.7 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 18.2%14.9–22 | 13.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79%75.1–81.9 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.9%51.1–58.7 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87%84.9–88.8 | 86.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.7%79–83.6 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.7%56.2–66.9 | 64.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 69.8%61.4–77.7 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.4%16.9–23.3 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35%29.4–40.5 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.7%18–25.6 | 24.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.4%13.1–19.8 | 17.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.8%10.5–15.1 | 15% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.8%6.5–9.1 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.7%7.4–10.2 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.6%9.9–15.6 | 14.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.9%32.6–42.8 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19%16–22.3 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.5%13.1–17.9 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 10.4%9–11.9 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6–8.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.4%8.8–12.2 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5%4.2–5.9 | 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 Ellijay
Is Ellijay a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Ellijay is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Ellijay?
CDC estimates 34.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.4% and 41.3%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Ellijay?
Blue Ridge Medical Center in Blue Ridge, 16.7 miles in a straight line from Ellijay’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Ellijay have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 18.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.9–22%), 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 Ellijay more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Ellijay.
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.