Fort James Jackson · Photo: MArcin K. · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Savannah is healthier than 69%
Savannah differs from Georgia on 8 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 2 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Savannah. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Savannah
Making ends meet is harder in Savannah
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (23.1%), vs 17.7% across Georgia. No reliable transportation (12.7% vs 9.5%) and utility shut-off threats (12.7% vs 9.6%) are higher too. 20.1% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Health varies a lot right around Savannah
Grades next door run from Georgetown (A) to Henderson (D). Savannah is a C+. Around town ↓
Savannah sleeps less
44.2% of adults sleep under 7 hours a night, vs 38.4% across Georgia. Habits ↓
Savannah is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Savannah is healthier than 41%. Against the 8,069 towns with similar household incomes ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 69%. Health Grade ↓
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 Savannah’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to B+.
What’s behind Savannah’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Savannah is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns, #108 of 261 in Georgia. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 62% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 25%).
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). Savannah’s median household income is $57,137; among the 8,069 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($43K–$71K), it’s healthier than 69%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Few Georgia towns score lower on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Savannah is healthier than 59% of graded towns, against 41% nationally.
Where Savannah compares well: high cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years), 33.3% (U.S. 37.1%); cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.8% (U.S. 7.9%).
At 149,440 residents, Savannah is graded like any town, from one citywide estimate; its rank among the 395 U.S. cities over 100,000 is the fairer comparison.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
20.1% of Savannah adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Savannah and the towns around it
Savannah’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 9 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah | C+ | 34.5% | 13.6% | 14.7% | CDC place |
| Georgetown | A | 30.2% | 10.2% | 10.8% | CDC place |
| Pooler | A− | 29.9% | 10.5% | 11.6% | CDC place |
| Port Wentworth | C+ | 35.2% | 11.8% | 16.5% | CDC place |
| Garden City | D | 38.2% | 16% | 18.2% | CDC place |
| Vernonburg | — | — | — | — | |
| Thunderbolt | C+ | 34% | 15.7% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Montgomery | A− | 29.5% | 11.6% | 11.3% | CDC place |
Vernonburg: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Everyday habits, side by side with Georgia
Share of adults, with the Georgia figure marked.
103 miles of trails across 73 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Savannah adults…
Savannah runs below GA on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Savannah
2 hospitals and 3 community health centers in Savannah, 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 Savannah; ≈ 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 Savannah adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
How Savannah adults are doing
About the same as Georgia on each measure.
2 in 5 Savannah 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.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Savannah adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Savannah
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Savannah is better than Georgia on 2 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Savannah’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Savannah | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 21.3%19.1–23.6 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.5%12.1–15 | 13.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.5%16.7–20.5 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34.5%29.2–40.2 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 13.6%12.1–15.2 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 38.3%35–41.7 | 37.4% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.3%29.9–36.7 | 36.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 23.5%21.2–26 | 24.6% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.7–12.1 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.3–6.3 | 7% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.8%5.2–6.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.6%6–7.3 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.1 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16.9%14.1–19.9 | 14.5% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.7%13–16.6 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 27.5%24–31.2 | 26.5% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%13–18.3 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 44.2%38.9–49.3 | 38.4% | 36% | Worse |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.8%12.3–15.5 | 13.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.6%75.5–81.6 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 56%52.5–59.3 | 59.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.8%82–85.6 | 86.8% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.3%74–78.6 | 77.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 66.2%61.4–70.4 | 64.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.6%70.9–83.1 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.7%17–22.6 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 39.4%34.9–44 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25%21.9–28.4 | 24.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 23.1%20.6–25.6 | 17.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 18.5%16.4–20.7 | 15% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.7%11.3–14.2 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 12.7%11.4–14 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 20.1%17.9–22.2 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.8%28.4–35.4 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14.5%13–16.1 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.4%14.9–18.1 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.6%5–6.3 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.8%6.3–7.3 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.3%9.4–11.3 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.9%4.5–5.2 | 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 Savannah
Is Savannah a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Savannah is healthier than 41% of U.S. towns: C+ for health, #108 of 261 in Georgia. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Savannah?
CDC estimates 34.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.2% and 40.2%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Savannah?
Candler Hospital in Savannah, 2.1 miles in a straight line from Savannah’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Savannah have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.3–15.5%), 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 Savannah 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 Savannah.
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.