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A−Health Grade
Health in Georgia · CDC PLACES 2025

Within Vermont, Georgia is healthier than 43% of graded towns

Georgia trails Vermont on 3 of 31 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 05478, 05468, 05454. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Georgia

Vermont sets a high bar

Georgia is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns, but only 43% of the 71 Vermont towns we grade. Health Grade ↓

Obesity runs high in Georgia

1 in 3 adults have obesity (34.1%), vs 28.6% across Vermont. Conditions ↓

Georgia has a community health center but no hospital

The Richford Health Center is in town and charges on a sliding scale by income. The nearest ER is Northwestern Medical Center in Saint Albans, 6.4 miles away. Getting care ↓

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 Vermont figure falls outside Georgia’s likely range; Georgia’s figures come from ZIP codes 05478, 05468, 05454, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B to A.

Health Grade

What’s behind Georgia’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Georgia is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns, #41 of 71 in Vermont. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is diabetes (fewer adults with diabetes than 93% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 53%.

ASelf-rated health14.8% · VT 14.5% · U.S. 19.4%
B+Physical distress12.9% · VT 12.5% · U.S. 13%
B−Mental distress16.9% · VT 15.9% · U.S. 15.9%
BObesity34.1% · VT 28.6% · U.S. 32.9%
ADiabetes8.7% · VT 8.8% · U.S. 12%
B+Smoking12.3% smoke · VT 11.2% · U.S. 11.8%
AExercise19.3% · VT 18.9% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 79%
Less healthyHealthier
Vermont towns we grade (71)Healthier than 43%
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $79K–$131K (7,835)Healthier than 68%

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). Georgia’s median household income is $105,011; among the 7,835 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($79K–$131K), it’s healthier than 68%, about where its income would put it.

A fairly firm grade. With every estimate at the unfavorable or the favorable end of CDC’s likely range, Georgia could be anywhere from B to A. These are ZIP code figures (ZIP 05478,05468,05454), weighted by land area, which can reach past town lines.

How TownRatings grades health →

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Georgia adults…

Georgia runs above VT on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

34 of every 100 Georgia adults have obesity
Vermont: 29 in 100 · worse · likely 29.5–38.3%
Better than VTWorseAbout the sameVermont
Getting care

Care in and near Georgia

1 community health center in Georgia, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERNorthwestern Medical CenterSaint Albans · 6.4 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyNorthwestern Medical Center★★★★★ · 6.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careThe Richford Health CenterFairfax · 2.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.5 mi
The Richford Health Center
6 sites · nearest in Fairfax
Sliding-scale feesIn Georgia
Directions to nearest
6.4 mi
Northwestern Medical Center
Saint Albans · ★★★★★
ER
9.8 mi
Community Health Centers - Champlain Islands
South Hero · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
16.7 mi
The University of Vermont Health Network - Champl
Plattsburgh · ★★★★★
ER
16.9 mi
University. of Vermont - Fletcher Allen Health Care
Burlington · ★★★★★
ER
28.9 mi
Copley Hospital
Morrisville · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
✓ Primary careGeorgia is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careGeorgia is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthGeorgia is not a shortage area

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 Georgia; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Vermont

Share of adults, with the Vermont figure marked.

Get no exercise 19.3%VT 18.9%
Sleep under 7 hours 31.8%VT 28.6%
Binge drink 17.8%VT 16.6%
Smoke cigarettes 12.3%VT 11.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Georgia, betterGeorgia, worseAbout the sameVermont
Where Georgia gets moving

8 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Georgia adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Vermont.

76%Yearly checkupVT 76%
68%Dentist visitVT 69%
85%Cholesterol checkVT 86%
71%Colon screeningVT 69%
74%MammogramVT 76%
74%Taking BP medsVT 77%
1 in 16
working-age adults has no health insurance
Georgia 6.4% · Vermont 1 in 17 (6%)
Mind & connection

How Georgia adults are doing

About the same as Vermont on each measure.

1 in 4Georgia adults lack social or emotional support
22.4% · VT 22% · About the same as VT
1 in 4Georgia adults have been diagnosed with depression
26.1% · VT 26.5% · About the same as VT
1 in 6Georgia adults are in frequent mental distress
16.9% · VT 15.9% · About the same as VT
The one neighbors can help with

A hello is a start.

Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.

Find a group →

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 needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 10
Georgia adults worry about having enough food
10.1% · VT 9.2%
About the same as VT
1 in 10
Georgia adults worry about keeping their housing
9.9% · VT 8.6%
Worse than VT
1 in 15
Georgia adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.8% · VT 5.7%
Worse than VT
1 in 14
Georgia adults lack reliable transportation
7.1% · VT 6.4%
About the same as VT

12.9% of Georgia adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 11.3% across Vermont.

Around town

Georgia and the towns around it

Georgia’s Health Grade ranks 5th of 5 graded towns around it.

St. Albans: 37.6%Fairfax: 34.2%Milton: 27.7%Westford: 23.5%Grand Isle: 29.5%North Hero: 32.7%Swanton: 37.8%Fairfield: 36%Cambridge: 30%Fletcher: 32.3%South Hero: 29.3%Colchester: 24.9%Underhill: 23.6%Essex: 23.3%Plattsburgh: 32.9%Georgia: 34.1%GeorgiaSt. AlbansFairfaxMiltonWestfordGrand IsleNorthwestern Medical Center · Saint Albans · 6.4 mi · 4★ MedicareHThe University of Vermont Health Network - Champl · Plattsburgh · 16.7 mi · 2★ MedicareHUniversity. of Vermont - Fletcher Allen Health Care · Burlington · 16.9 mi · 4★ MedicareHGeorgia Health Center · Fairfax · 2.5 mi+Community Health Centers - Champlain Islands · South Hero · 9.8 mi+
Healthier than VTNear VTLess healthyHHospital+Health center
Obesity
#12 of 16 towns on this map, healthiest first
Westford23.5%
Milton27.7%
Grand Isle29.5%
Georgia34.1%
Fairfax34.2%
St. Albans37.6%
VT28.6%

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
GeorgiaA−34.1%8.7%12.3%ZIP codes
St. Albans————
FairfaxA34.2%7.4%10%ZIP codes
MiltonA27.7%7.9%12%ZIP 05468
WestfordA+23.5%7.1%8.6%ZIP codes
Grand IsleA29.5%8.5%10.1%ZIP 05458

St. Albans: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

26%

of Georgia adults live with a disability (Vermont 26.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs11.1%
Thinking or memory13.5%
Hearing7%
Errands alone7.2%
Vision4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.3%
Vermont

Every CDC estimate for Georgia

Share of adults, 39 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 31 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Georgia is better than Vermont on 0 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Vermont figure falls inside Georgia’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…GeorgiaVTU.S.vs VT
Overall health
Fair or poor health14.8%13–16.814.5%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)12.9%11.5–14.412.5%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)16.9%15–18.815.9%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity34.1%29.5–38.328.6%32.9%Worse
Diabetes8.7%7.6–9.88.8%12%About the same
High blood pressure31.4%28.6–34.231.4%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)31.7%28.8–34.432.1%37.1%About the same
Arthritis27.1%24.6–29.527.8%25.3%About the same
Asthma11.5%10.3–12.711.1%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer9.1%8.3–9.99.9%7.9%About the same
Coronary heart disease6%5.4–6.76.3%6.4%About the same
COPD6.6%5.7–7.56.5%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.1%2.9–3.43.3%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)10.6%8.8–12.510.1%12.3%About the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes12.3%10.5–14.311.2%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work19.3%16.6–22.218.9%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking17.8%15.3–20.216.6%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours31.8%28.3–35.628.6%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)6.4%5.2–7.76%11%About the same
Checkup in the past year75.7%72.6–78.476.1%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year67.9%65.2–70.669.2%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years85.4%83.5–87.185.9%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)74.1%71.2–76.776.7%76.5%About the same
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)71.4%68.1–74.669.2%65.5%About the same
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)74.2%68.6–79.276.1%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression26.1%23.2–28.926.5%20.6%About the same
Lack social and emotional support22.4%19.8–2522%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food10.1%9.1–11.39.2%15%About the same
Worried about keeping housing9.9%8.7–118.6%12%Worse
Threatened with a utility shut-off6.8%6–7.75.7%7.6%Worse
Lack reliable transportation7.1%6.4–7.76.4%7.9%About the same
Received SNAP (food stamps)12.9%11.6–14.411.3%11.6%Higher
Disability
Any disability26%23–2926.4%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs11.1%9.6–12.611%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering13.5%11.9–15.112.5%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty7%6.2–7.87.7%6.7%About the same
Vision difficulty4.1%3.7–4.64%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone7.2%6.4–8.16.8%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.3%3–3.73.1%3.8%About the same

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 Vermont figure falls inside that range.

Questions about health in Georgia

Is Georgia a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Georgia is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns: A− for health, #41 of 71 in Vermont. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 68%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Georgia?

CDC estimates 34.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 29.5% and 38.3%, against 28.6% across Vermont and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Georgia?

Northwestern Medical Center in Saint Albans, 6.4 miles in a straight line from Georgia’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.

How many people in Georgia have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 6.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.2–7.7%), against 6% across Vermont.

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 Georgia 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 Georgia.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Vermont 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.