Photo: John Trainor from Roswell, GA, USA · CC BY 2.0More adults with obesity in McDonough than in almost every U.S. town
McDonough differs from Georgia on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for McDonough. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in McDonough
Making ends meet is harder in McDonough
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.4%), vs 17.7% across Georgia. Utility shut-off threats (14.3% vs 9.6%) and housing insecurity (21.1% vs 15%) are higher too. 20.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Obesity runs high in McDonough
1 in 2 adults have obesity (48%), vs 35.2% across Georgia. Conditions ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in McDonough
McDonough runs below Georgia on cancer (5.1% vs 7%) and heart disease (5.1% vs 6.1%). A young population is part of it: only 9% of residents are 65 or older (Georgia 15%). Conditions ↓
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 McDonough’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind McDonough’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, McDonough is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns, #129 of 261 in Georgia. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 67% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (near the bottom of U.S. towns).
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). McDonough’s median household income is $75,343; among the 10,842 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($57K–$94K), it’s healthier than 28%, 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 McDonough is healthier than 51% of graded towns, against 32% nationally.
Where McDonough compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.1% (U.S. 7.9%); coronary heart disease, 5.1% (U.S. 6.4%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.5% of McDonough adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Out of every 100 McDonough adults…
McDonough runs below GA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 9% of McDonough residents are 65 or older, vs 15% across Georgia. Heart disease, COPD and cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near McDonough
1 community health center in McDonough, 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 McDonough; ≈ 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.
4.2 miles of trails across 10 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of McDonough adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
How McDonough adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, McDonough runs above Georgia.
4 in 10 McDonough 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.
McDonough and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonough | C | 48% | 13.8% | 14.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of McDonough adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for McDonough
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, McDonough is better than Georgia on 3 and worse on 8; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside McDonough’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | McDonough | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.9%19.4–24.5 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.1%11.6–14.7 | 13.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.4–20.5 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 48%41.3–54.5 | 35.2% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.8%12.1–15.5 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 39.4%35.5–43.2 | 37.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.6%29.9–37.3 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.5%20.7–26.1 | 24.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.4%10.1–12.7 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.1%4.6–5.6 | 7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.1%4.5–5.6 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.7%3.4–4 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 17.1%14.4–20.1 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%12.3–16.2 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.2%23.3–31.3 | 26.5% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 12.7%10.4–15.1 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44%38.6–50 | 38.4% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.7%11–14.7 | 13.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80%76.6–82.9 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.5%52–59 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87%85.3–88.6 | 86.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.5%73.6–79 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.9%59.5–68.5 | 64.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 79.3%73.1–84.8 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.9%15.2–20.7 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.4%32.4–42.4 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.8%25–32.7 | 24.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.4%20.5–26.5 | 17.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 21.1%18.6–23.8 | 15% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.3%12.6–16 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.7%11.3–14.1 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.5%18–23 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 29.8%26.1–33.6 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.3%12.6–16.1 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.4%13.6–17.1 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 4.7%4.1–5.2 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 6.4%5.8–6.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.6%8.6–10.7 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.8%4.3–5.2 | 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 McDonough
Is McDonough a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, McDonough is healthier than 32% of U.S. towns: ≈ C for health, #129 of 261 in Georgia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 28%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in McDonough?
CDC estimates 48% of adults have obesity, likely between 41.3% and 54.5%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to McDonough?
Wellstar Spalding Medical Center in Griffin, 12.9 miles in a straight line from McDonough’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in McDonough have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 11–14.7%), 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 McDonough 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 McDonough.
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.