Banks County Courthouse · Photo: Calvin Beale · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Homer is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns
Homer differs from Georgia on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Homer. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Homer
Homer trails towns with similar incomes
Homer is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns, and only 22% of the 10,057 towns with similar household incomes ($67K–$111K), so income alone doesn’t explain its grade. Health Grade ↓
Depression and COPD run high in Homer
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (23.9%), vs 19% across Georgia. 1 in 13 adults have COPD (8%), vs 6.5% across Georgia. In all, Homer runs above Georgia on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Homer
1 in 6 adults smoke cigarettes (16.9%), 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 Homer’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
What’s behind Homer’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Homer is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 66% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 19%).
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). Homer’s median household income is $89,083; among the 10,057 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$111K), it’s healthier than 22%, less than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Homer adults…
Homer runs above GA on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Georgia
Share of adults, with the Georgia figure marked.
7.6 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Care in and near Homer
No hospital or community health center in Homer 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 Homer; ≈ 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 Homer adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
How Homer adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Homer runs above Georgia.
4 in 10 Homer 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.
11.9% of Homer adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Homer and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homer | C+ | 34% | 12.3% | 16.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Homer adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Homer
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Homer is better than Georgia on 1 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Homer’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Homer | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.9%17.4–24.7 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%12.9–17.3 | 13.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19%16.5–21.5 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34%25.7–42.5 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.3%10.4–14.2 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 36.5%32–40.7 | 37.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%33.2–42.3 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 27.2%23.6–30.5 | 24.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.1–11.8 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.1%7.3–9 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.6%5.7–7.5 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8%6.6–9.5 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3–4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.2%13.2–19.4 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.9%13.8–20.1 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 26.8%21.9–32 | 26.5% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 16.3%13–19.6 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.7%29.5–44.1 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.5%9.7–16.1 | 13.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.3%72.1–80.1 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 58%54.2–61.7 | 59.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.1%82.5–87.6 | 86.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.2%72.7–79 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.7%58.1–68.9 | 64.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.2%62.1–79 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 23.9%20–27.7 | 19% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 37.1%31.4–43 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.4%19.6–27.7 | 24.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 15.2%12–19.1 | 17.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.3%9.9–15 | 15% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.7%6.4–9.1 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8.4%6.9–10 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.9%9.3–15.2 | 14.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 32.3%27.2–37.4 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.3%11.8–16.7 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.4%13.8–19.1 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.2%6.2–8.2 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.2%4.4–6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.3%7.8–10.9 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.1%3.5–4.8 | 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 Homer
Is Homer a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Homer is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 22%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Homer?
CDC estimates 34% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.7% and 42.5%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Homer?
Northeast Georgia Medical Center Habersham in Demorest, 16.9 miles in a straight line from Homer’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Homer have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.7–16.1%), 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 Homer more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Homer.
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.