Photo: Emmanuel2312 · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, McRae-Helena is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns
McRae-Helena differs from Georgia on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 23 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for McRae-Helena. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in McRae-Helena
Dental care lags in McRae-Helena
40% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 59.2% across Georgia. Among those 65 and older, 28.8% have lost all their teeth (Georgia 14.5%). McRae-Helena’s county is a federal shortage area for dental care. Checkups ↓
Making ends meet is harder in McRae-Helena
1 in 3 adults worry about having enough food (35.6%), about twice the Georgia rate. Utility shut-off threats (18.5% vs 9.6%) and no reliable transportation (17.5% vs 9.5%) are higher too. 30.8% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More McRae-Helena adults get no exercise
2 in 5 adults get no exercise outside work (39.3%), vs 26.5% 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 McRae-Helena’s likely range.
What’s behind McRae-Helena’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, McRae-Helena is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns, #236 of 261 in Georgia. All seven of McRae-Helena’s estimates fall in the lowest 15% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is no exercise: 39.3% of adults, against 26.5% across Georgia and 24.7% nationally.
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). McRae-Helena’s median household income is $43,618; among the 3,540 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($33K–$55K), it’s healthier than 12%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where McRae-Helena compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.2% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of McRae-Helena adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
30.8% of McRae-Helena adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Everyday habits, side by side with Georgia
Share of adults, with the Georgia figure marked.
0.9 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 McRae-Helena adults…
McRae-Helena runs below GA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 7. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near McRae-Helena
No hospital or community health center in McRae-Helena 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 McRae-Helena; ≈ 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).
How McRae-Helena adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, McRae-Helena runs above Georgia.
2 in 5 McRae-Helena 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.
McRae-Helena and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McRae-Helena | D− | 43.8% | 17.9% | 21.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of McRae-Helena adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for McRae-Helena
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, McRae-Helena is better than Georgia on 1 and worse on 23; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside McRae-Helena’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | McRae-Helena | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 32.5%28.5–36.7 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%15.7–20.1 | 13.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.4%17.4–21.8 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 43.8%35.7–52.4 | 35.2% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 17.9%15.8–20.2 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.1%37.8–46.6 | 37.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.7%32.6–41 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 23.9%21.2–26.8 | 24.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.7%8.6–10.9 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.8–8.4 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.7%7.7–9.8 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.2–5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 28.8%24.6–33.4 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 21.6%18.6–25 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 39.3%33.9–45.1 | 26.5% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.3–18 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 45.2%38–52.6 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 29.1%24.6–33.9 | 13.1% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 73.9%69.9–77.6 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 40%36.5–43.7 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80%77.1–82.5 | 86.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 73.1%70.2–75.9 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 54%48.8–59.2 | 64.4% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.9%62.3–78.5 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 17.6%14.9–20.7 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 40.3%34.5–45.7 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 31.6%27.2–35.9 | 24.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 35.6%30.8–40.7 | 17.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 27.6%24–31.5 | 15% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 18.5%16.2–20.9 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 17.5%15.2–20 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 30.8%26.7–35.4 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.9%35–45.2 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.3%17.1–21.9 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20%17.7–22.7 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.8–8.5 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 10.3%9.1–11.5 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 12.5%11.1–14.1 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.2%6.4–8.1 | 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 McRae-Helena
Is McRae-Helena a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, McRae-Helena is healthier than 3% of U.S. towns: D− for health, #236 of 261 in Georgia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 12%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in McRae-Helena?
CDC estimates 43.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.7% and 52.4%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to McRae-Helena?
Dodge County Hospital in Eastman, 18.5 miles in a straight line from McRae-Helena’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in McRae-Helena have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 29.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 24.6–33.9%), 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 McRae-Helena more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in McRae-Helena.
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.