Photo: Harrison Keely · CC BY 4.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Hiawassee is healthier than 84%
Hiawassee differs from Georgia on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 10 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hiawassee. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hiawassee
Cancer, heart disease and COPD run high in Hiawassee
1 in 6 adults have had cancer (17.5%), more than twice the Georgia rate. 1 in 7 adults have heart disease (14%), more than twice the Georgia rate. COPD is also above the state: 12.9%, vs 6.5% across Georgia. In all, Hiawassee runs above Georgia on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 36% of residents are 65 or older (Georgia 15%), and cancer, heart disease and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Hiawassee is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Hiawassee is healthier than 38%. Against the 4,008 towns with similar household incomes ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 84%. Health Grade ↓
More high blood pressure in Hiawassee, and more people treating it
53.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Georgia 37.4%), but 89% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
Hiawassee keeps up with checkups
It beats Georgia on three of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (86.5% vs 78.4%) and cholesterol checks (92.3% vs 86.8%). 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 Hiawassee’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
What’s behind Hiawassee’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hiawassee is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 93% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 2%).
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). Hiawassee’s median household income is $45,000; among the 4,008 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 84%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Hiawassee compares well: binge drinking, 8.7% (U.S. 15.4%); checkup in the past year, 86.5% (U.S. 77.4%); cholesterol check in 5 years, 92.3% (U.S. 87.1%).
Out of every 100 Hiawassee adults…
Hiawassee runs above GA on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Hiawassee is an older town: 36% 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 Hiawassee as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Hiawassee adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
Care in and near Hiawassee
1 hospital in Hiawassee, 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 Hiawassee; ≈ 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 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Hiawassee adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Hiawassee does better than Georgia.
1 in 3 Hiawassee 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.
10.2% of Hiawassee adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Hiawassee and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiawassee | C+ | 31.4% | 19.6% | 11.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hiawassee adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hiawassee
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hiawassee is better than Georgia on 14 and worse on 10; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Hiawassee’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hiawassee | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 25.2%20.3–31.5 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.6%15.4–22.4 | 13.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.3%11.4–15.6 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.4%23.9–39.9 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 19.6%16.4–23.2 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 53.8%48.5–59 | 37.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 49.4%44.2–54.6 | 36.8% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 44.9%39.8–49.8 | 24.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.4–11.1 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 17.5%15.5–19.6 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 14%11.9–16.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 12.9%9.9–16.4 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 7%5.7–8.6 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 24.9%20.9–29.5 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.9%9.2–15 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 33.5%26.5–40.8 | 26.5% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 8.7%7–10.6 | 14.5% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.7%24.5–37.4 | 38.4% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.2%7.8–13 | 13.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 86.5%83.8–88.7 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 59.2%55.3–63 | 59.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.3%90.9–93.5 | 86.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 89%86.9–90.7 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.9%67.9–77.6 | 64.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.3%61.4–78.2 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19%15.9–22.7 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.9%25.3–36.7 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 17.4%13.8–21.2 | 24.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.5%8.5–15.4 | 17.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.2%5.7–8.9 | 15% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.2–6.3 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.5%5.1–8 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 10.2%7.4–13.8 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 43.1%36.6–49.6 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 26.1%21.1–32 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.2%10.9–16.3 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 15.7%13.4–18.5 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 7.9%6.2–10.3 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12%9.3–15.6 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6%4.7–7.8 | 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 Hiawassee
Is Hiawassee a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hiawassee is healthier than 38% 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 Hiawassee?
CDC estimates 31.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 23.9% and 39.9%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hiawassee?
Chatuge Regional Hospital in Hiawassee, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Hiawassee’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Hiawassee have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.8–13%), 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 Hiawassee more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Hiawassee.
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.