Cagle House · Photo: MrGeode13 · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Nelson is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns
Nelson differs from Georgia on 12 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 9 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Nelson. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Nelson
Binge drinking is the habit Nelson doesn’t win on
17.4% of adults binge drink, vs 14.5% across Georgia. Smoking and exercise are about at the state’s level. Habits ↓
Cancer and depression run high in Nelson
1 in 11 adults have had cancer (8.8%), vs 7% across Georgia. 1 in 5 adults have been diagnosed with depression (22%), vs 19% across Georgia. Conditions ↓
Fewer Nelson adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Georgia. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Nelson’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
What’s behind Nelson’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nelson is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns. Fair or poor health holds the grade up (fewer adults who rate their health fair or poor than 67% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 42%).
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). Nelson’s median household income is $89,375; among the 10,013 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($67K–$112K), it’s healthier than 55%, about where its income would put it.
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.
Out of every 100 Nelson adults…
Nelson runs below GA on 3 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8% of Nelson adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Care in and near Nelson
No hospital or community health center in Nelson 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 Nelson; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Nelson adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
How Nelson adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Nelson runs above Georgia.
4 in 10 Nelson 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.
Nelson and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson | B | 34.2% | 11% | 14.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Nelson adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Nelson
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Nelson is better than Georgia on 9 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Nelson’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Nelson | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 17.5%15.3–19.9 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%12–15 | 13.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.5%15.7–19.3 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.2%29.3–39.4 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11%9.8–12.3 | 13.3% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 35.3%32.4–38.5 | 37.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38%35–41.1 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.2%24–28.7 | 24.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%9.1–11 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.8%8.1–9.5 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.5–6.7 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%5.8–7.5 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.2%2.9–3.5 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11%9.4–12.9 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.3%12.1–16.8 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.3%20.8–27.9 | 26.5% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%15.1–19.8 | 14.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.5%32.2–41 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10.6%8.9–12.7 | 13.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.8%74–79.4 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.1%59.2–64.9 | 59.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.4%85.9–88.9 | 86.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.6%74.2–78.8 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.9%61.5–68.4 | 64.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 72.5%66.9–77.7 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22%19.6–24.7 | 19% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 36.8%33.2–41.1 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.9%19.3–25.1 | 24.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 11.3%9.5–13.4 | 17.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10%8.5–11.6 | 15% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6%5.2–6.9 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.5%5.7–7.4 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8%6.5–9.6 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 28.1%24.8–31.5 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.4%10.9–14.1 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.8%12.2–15.5 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6.1–7.6 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 4.1%3.7–4.6 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.6%6.8–8.6 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.3%2.9–3.7 | 4.2% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Nelson
Is Nelson a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Nelson is healthier than 62% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 55%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Nelson?
CDC estimates 34.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.3% and 39.4%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Nelson?
Northside Hospital Cherokee in Canton, 11.5 miles in a straight line from Nelson’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Nelson have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.9–12.7%), 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 Nelson more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Nelson.
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.