Photo: Michael Rivera · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Sylvester is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns
Sylvester differs from Georgia on 20 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 19 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Sylvester. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sylvester
Making ends meet is harder in Sylvester
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (26.6%), vs 17.7% across Georgia. Utility shut-off threats (14.6% vs 9.6%) and no reliable transportation (13.5% vs 9.5%) are higher too. 24.2% of adults receive SNAP, vs 14.2% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Sylvester
49.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 59.2% across Georgia. Among those 65 and older, 22.3% have lost all their teeth (Georgia 14.5%). Checkups ↓
Stroke, COPD and diabetes run high in Sylvester
1 in 20 adults have had a stroke (5.1%), vs 3.6% across Georgia. 1 in 11 adults have COPD (8.7%), vs 6.5% across Georgia. Diabetes is also above the state: 17.7%, vs 13.3% across Georgia. In all, Sylvester runs above Georgia on six of 11 chronic conditions. 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 Sylvester’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Sylvester’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sylvester is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns, #199 of 261 in Georgia. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 24% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 5%).
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). Sylvester’s median household income is $58,417; among the 8,497 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$73K), it’s healthier than 12%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Sylvester compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.2% (U.S. 76.5%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
24.2% of Sylvester adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Keeping up with care
Share of Sylvester adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
Out of every 100 Sylvester adults…
Sylvester runs above GA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Sylvester
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Sylvester, 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 Sylvester; ≈ 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.
0.1 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
How Sylvester adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Sylvester runs above Georgia.
2 in 5 Sylvester 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.
Sylvester and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sylvester | D | 41.4% | 17.7% | 17.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sylvester adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sylvester
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sylvester is better than Georgia on 1 and worse on 19; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Sylvester’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sylvester | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.9%23.8–30.5 | 20.3% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.3%14.5–18.5 | 13.5% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.2%17.1–21.7 | 16.9% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.4%33.2–50.2 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 17.7%15.6–20.1 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 45.8%41.5–50.3 | 37.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.1%33.8–42.6 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.1%26.9–33.6 | 24.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.6%10.3–13.1 | 10.1% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.2%6.4–7.9 | 7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.5%6.8–8.5 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.7%7.7–10 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.1%4.7–5.7 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.3%18.6–26.3 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.5%15.1–20.4 | 13.6% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 34.5%29.5–40.3 | 26.5% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 11.9%9.7–14.6 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.7%34.7–49 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 14.2%12.1–16.7 | 13.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 81.1%77.8–84.2 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 49.3%45.6–53 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.5%84.6–88.2 | 86.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.2%77.8–82.5 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 63.9%58.6–69.1 | 64.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.6%66.8–81.3 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.8%16.7–23.4 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 40.4%34.9–46.1 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.7%24.8–32.9 | 24.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 26.6%23–30.4 | 17.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 21%18.4–23.9 | 15% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.6%12.9–16.5 | 9.6% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.5%11.9–15.3 | 9.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 24.2%21–27.8 | 14.2% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.4%32.8–42.5 | 29.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.7%17.5–22.4 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.3%15.3–19.6 | 14.4% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.9%6.2–7.9 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 7.9%7.2–8.8 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.9%10.7–13.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 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 Sylvester
Is Sylvester a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sylvester is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns: D for health, #199 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 Sylvester?
CDC estimates 41.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.2% and 50.2%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sylvester?
Phoebe Worth Medical Center in Sylvester, 1.2 miles in a straight line from Sylvester’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Sylvester have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 14.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 12.1–16.7%), 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 Sylvester 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 Sylvester.
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.