Within Georgia, Thunderbolt is healthier than 55% of graded towns
Thunderbolt differs from Georgia on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 9 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Thunderbolt. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Thunderbolt
Heart disease, stroke and COPD run high in Thunderbolt
1 in 13 adults have heart disease (7.8%), vs 6.1% across Georgia. 1 in 22 adults have had a stroke (4.6%), vs 3.6% across Georgia. COPD is also above the state: 8.3%, vs 6.5% across Georgia. In all, Thunderbolt runs above Georgia on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Georgia 15%), and heart disease, stroke and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Thunderbolt, and more people treating it
42.8% of adults have high blood pressure (Georgia 37.4%), but 80.8% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.4% statewide. Checkups ↓
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 Thunderbolt’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
What’s behind Thunderbolt’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Thunderbolt is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns, #117 of 261 in Georgia. Obesity holds the grade up (fewer adults with obesity than 66% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 11%).
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). Thunderbolt’s median household income is $75,234; among the 10,848 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($56K–$94K), it’s healthier than 37%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Thunderbolt compares well: taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure), 80.8% (U.S. 76.5%).
Out of every 100 Thunderbolt adults…
Thunderbolt runs above GA on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Thunderbolt is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 15% across Georgia. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Thunderbolt as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Thunderbolt adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Georgia.
Care in and near Thunderbolt
No hospital or community health center in Thunderbolt 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 Thunderbolt; ≈ 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.
1.5 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Thunderbolt adults are doing
About the same as Georgia on each measure.
1 in 3 Thunderbolt 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
16.3% of Thunderbolt adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.
Thunderbolt and the towns around it
Thunderbolt’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderbolt | C+ | 34% | 15.7% | 15.1% | CDC place |
| Whitemarsh Island | A | 26.6% | 9.9% | 9.5% | CDC place |
| Savannah | C+ | 34.5% | 13.6% | 14.7% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Thunderbolt adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Thunderbolt
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Thunderbolt is better than Georgia on 1 and worse on 9; on the rest, the Georgia figure falls inside Thunderbolt’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Thunderbolt | GA | U.S. | vs GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 22.1%18.9–25.3 | 20.3% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.1–17.2 | 13.5% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.6–18.7 | 16.9% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 34%28.6–39.7 | 35.2% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.7%13.7–17.8 | 13.3% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 42.8%39.1–46.5 | 37.4% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.9%35.2–42.7 | 36.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.6%26.7–32.7 | 24.6% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.2%9.1–11.5 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.5%7.7–9.4 | 7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.8%6.9–8.8 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.3%7–9.7 | 6.5% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4–5.1 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21.3%17.8–25 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.1%12.3–18 | 13.6% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 28.5%24.2–33 | 26.5% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%12.1–17.3 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 42.3%37.1–47.4 | 38.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 13.3%10.9–15.9 | 13.1% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 80.3%77.2–83.2 | 78.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.1%51.4–58.6 | 59.2% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.9%85.1–88.6 | 86.8% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 80.8%78.6–83 | 77.4% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.8%60.8–70.2 | 64.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75%67.8–80.9 | 75.8% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.7%17–22.7 | 19% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.4%31.1–39.9 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.7%18.7–25 | 24.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18.9%15.9–22.1 | 17.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14.8%12.6–17 | 15% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 10.2%8.8–11.7 | 9.6% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 10.2%8.9–11.7 | 9.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 16.3%13.6–19.3 | 14.2% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.6%29.3–38 | 29.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.2%14.7–19.7 | 14% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15%13–17.2 | 14.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8%7–9 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.9%6–7.8 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.1%8.6–11.5 | 8.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.2%4.4–5.9 | 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 Thunderbolt
Is Thunderbolt a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Thunderbolt is healthier than 38% of U.S. towns: ≈ C+ for health, #117 of 261 in Georgia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 37%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Thunderbolt?
CDC estimates 34% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.6% and 39.7%, against 35.2% across Georgia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Thunderbolt?
Savannah Health Services LLC Dba Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, 2.5 miles in a straight line from Thunderbolt’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Thunderbolt have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 13.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 10.9–15.9%), 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 Thunderbolt more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Thunderbolt.
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.