Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, St. Simons is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
St. Simons differs from Georgia on 24 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 19 better, 5 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for St. Simons. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in St. Simons
Cancer, arthritis and high cholesterol run high in St. Simons
1 in 7 adults have had cancer (13.4%), about twice the Georgia rate. 1 in 3 adults have arthritis (31.9%), vs 24.6% across Georgia. High cholesterol is also above the state: 45%, vs 36.8% across Georgia. In all, St. Simons runs above Georgia on four of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 38% of residents are 65 or older (Georgia 15%), and cancer, arthritis and high cholesterol are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
The nearest ER is 31 miles from St. Simons
The closest emergency room is Southeast Georgia Health System -- Camden Campus in Saint Marys, 30.8 miles away in a straight line. For everyday care, Coastal Community Health Services is closer (5.6 mi) and charges on a sliding scale. Getting care ↓
St. Simons keeps up with checkups
It beats Georgia on four of five routine checkups and screenings, including yearly checkups (83.4% vs 78.4%) and dentist visits (73.6% vs 59.2%). Checkups ↓
St. Simons adults report less loneliness
Loneliness (28.5% vs 37.3%), frequent mental distress (12.2% vs 16.9%) and lack of emotional support (16.3% vs 24.6%) all run below Georgia. Mind & connection ↓
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 St. Simons’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind St. Simons’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Simons is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, #23 of 261 in Georgia. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 97% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 44%).
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). St. Simons’ median household income is $108,771; among the 7,331 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($82K–$136K), it’s healthier than 80%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 St. Simons adults…
St. Simons runs below GA on 2 of 12 conditions and above it on 5. Tap one to see it as people.
St. Simons is an older town: 38% of residents are 65 or older, vs 15% across Georgia. Heart disease, arthritis and cancer rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in St. Simons as about how healthy they are.
Care in and near St. Simons
No hospital or community health center in St. Simons 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 St. Simons; ≈ 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 St. Simons adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
How St. Simons adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, St. Simons does better than Georgia.
3 in 10 St. Simons 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.
Everyday habits, side by side with Georgia
Share of adults, with the Georgia figure marked.
16 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
4.2% of St. Simons adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
St. Simons and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Simons | A | 28.5% | 12.5% | 8.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of St. Simons adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for St. Simons
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, St. Simons is better than Georgia on 19 and worse on 5; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside St. Simons’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | St. Simons | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.2%12.3–16.4 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.1%10.7–13.8 | 13.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 12.2%10.8–13.9 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 28.5%22.6–35.1 | 35.2% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.8–14.4 | 13.3% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 42.2%38–46.7 | 37.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 45%40.4–49.6 | 36.8% | 37.1% | Worse |
| Arthritis | 31.9%28.4–35.7 | 24.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 9%7.9–10.2 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 13.4%12.2–14.6 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.4%6.6–8.3 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 6.3%5.5–7.1 | 6.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 6.9%5.5–8.4 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 8.7%7.3–10.3 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 19.4%16.2–22.9 | 26.5% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 14.1%11.5–17 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.6%26.2–37.1 | 38.4% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6.6%5.6–7.8 | 13.1% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 83.4%80.5–86.1 | 78.4% | 77.4% | Better |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 73.6%70.5–76.4 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 92.8%91.7–93.7 | 86.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 83.7%81.1–86.1 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 76.3%71.9–80 | 64.4% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.8%74.1–86 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 18.2%15.4–21.4 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 28.5%24–33.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | Better |
| Lack social and emotional support | 16.3%13.8–19.1 | 24.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 6.2%5.1–7.4 | 17.7% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 5.5%4.6–6.5 | 15% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 3.5%3–4.1 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 4%3.4–4.5 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.2%3.5–5.1 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.9%22.5–29.6 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12.5%10.9–14.4 | 14% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 9.5%8.3–10.7 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.3–9.3 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6%5.3–6.8 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.9%2.6–3.2 | 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 St. Simons
Is St. Simons a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, St. Simons is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health, #23 of 261 in Georgia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 80%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in St. Simons?
CDC estimates 28.5% of adults have obesity, likely between 22.6% and 35.1%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
How many people in St. Simons have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.6–7.8%), 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 St. Simons more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in St. Simons.
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.