Photo: Michael Rivera · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Forsyth is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns
Forsyth trails Georgia on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Forsyth. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Forsyth
Making ends meet is harder in Forsyth
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23%), vs 17.7% across Georgia. Utility shut-off threats (12.3% vs 9.6%) and no reliable transportation (11.8% vs 9.5%) are higher too. 20.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Stroke, COPD and diabetes run high in Forsyth
1 in 21 adults have had a stroke (4.7%), vs 3.6% across Georgia. 1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.1%), vs 6.5% across Georgia. Diabetes is also above the state: 16.1%, vs 13.3% across Georgia. In all, Forsyth runs above Georgia on six of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Forsyth
52.5% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 59.2% across Georgia. Among those 65 and older, 19.9% have lost all their teeth (Georgia 14.5%). Checkups ↓
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 Forsyth’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Forsyth’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forsyth is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns, #161 of 261 in Georgia. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 37% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 10%).
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). Forsyth’s median household income is $73,250; among the 10,764 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($55K–$92K), it’s healthier than 14%, 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 Forsyth is healthier than 38% of graded towns, against 19% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.2% of Forsyth adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Out of every 100 Forsyth adults…
Forsyth runs above GA on 7 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Forsyth adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
Care in and near Forsyth
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Forsyth, 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 Forsyth; ≈ 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.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
How Forsyth adults are doing
About the same as Georgia on each measure.
2 in 5 Forsyth 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.
Forsyth and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forsyth | C− | 39.4% | 16.1% | 16.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Forsyth adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Forsyth
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Forsyth is better than Georgia on 0 and worse on 13; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Forsyth’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Forsyth | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.4%21.2–27.9 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.4–17.4 | 13.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.3%16.2–20.7 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 39.4%31.5–48 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.1%14.1–18.4 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 43.3%39–47.8 | 37.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.2%33.9–42.6 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.9%25.6–32.3 | 24.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.3%10–12.7 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.3%6.6–8 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.3–8 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.1%7–9.3 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.2–5.2 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 19.9%16.5–23.6 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.1%13.5–18.9 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 31.2%26.4–36.5 | 26.5% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.7%10.3–15.4 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 40.5%33.5–47.4 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.4%11.1–16.1 | 13.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.5%77.2–83.6 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 52.5%48.8–56.3 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.6%84.7–88.4 | 86.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.7%77.2–82.2 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.5%59.1–69.4 | 64.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.8%67.6–82.4 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.5%16.4–22.9 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.7%33.4–44.3 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.5%22.8–30.5 | 24.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23%19.6–26.7 | 17.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.3%15.8–21.2 | 15% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.3%10.7–14.1 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.8%10.2–13.4 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.2%17.1–23.6 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 34.5%30–39.3 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18%15.5–20.6 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.2%14.1–18.4 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6–7.7 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.1%6.3–8 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.9%9.5–12.3 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.5%4.8–6.2 | 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 Forsyth
Is Forsyth a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Forsyth is healthier than 19% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #161 of 261 in Georgia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 14%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Forsyth?
CDC estimates 39.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 31.5% and 48%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Forsyth?
Monroe County Hospital in Forsyth, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Forsyth’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Forsyth have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11.1–16.1%), 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 Forsyth 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 Forsyth.
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.