Health · Clarkesville

Clarkesville, GA health

Clarkesville differs from Georgia on 8 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults facing a utility shut-off (5.8% vs 9.6%) and fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth (9.1% vs 14.5%). Where it trails the state: more adults who have had cancer (9.4% vs 7%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Clarkesville
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Clarkesville’s Health Grade: B+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Clarkesville is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns, and than 85% of towns with similar incomes.

B+Self-rated healthBPhysical distressBMental distressA-ObesityB+DiabetesB+SmokingBExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 70%
Less healthyHealthier
Georgia towns we grade (384)Healthier than 83%
Towns with similar incomes, $55K–$92K (9,838)Healthier than 85%

Better than its income would suggest. Clarkesville is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is B+.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Clarkesville could be anywhere from C to A.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Georgia ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Clarkesville with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Clarkesville uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Clarkesville compares with Georgia

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Clarkesville adults…

35 of every 100 Clarkesville adults have high blood pressure
Georgia: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 30.7–38.9%

Bars show Clarkesville; the black tick is Georgia. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Clarkesville, betterClarkesville, worseToo close to callGeorgia
Get no exerciseshare of adults 23.5% Clarkesville
GA 26.5%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 32.8% Clarkesville
GA 38.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 15.6% Clarkesville
GA 14.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 12.6% Clarkesville
GA 13.6%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

78%
Yearly checkup
GA 78%
67%
Dentist visit
GA 59%
87%
Cholesterol check
GA 87%
65%
Colon screening
GA 64%
78%
Mammogram
GA 76%
78%
Taking BP meds
GA 77%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Clarkesville 11.4% · Georgia 1 in 8 (13.1%)
Mind & connection

How Clarkesville adults are doing

1 in 3Clarkesville adults feel lonely
36.5% · Georgia 37.3% · too close to call
1 in 5Clarkesville adults have been diagnosed with depression
21.5% · Georgia 19% · too close to call
1 in 5Clarkesville adults lack social or emotional support
21.9% · Georgia 24.6% · too close to call
1 in 6Clarkesville adults are in frequent mental distress
16.8% · Georgia 16.9% · too close to call
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 9
Clarkesville adults worry about having enough food
11.5% · GA 17.7% · better
1 in 10
Clarkesville adults worry about keeping their housing
9.8% · GA 15% · better
1 in 17
Clarkesville adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.8% · GA 9.6% · better
1 in 15
Clarkesville adults lack reliable transportation
6.7% · GA 9.5% · better

8.2% of Clarkesville adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.

Disability

Living with a disability

29.1%

of Clarkesville adults live with a disability (Georgia 29.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs13%
Thinking or memory14%
Hearing7.1%
Errands alone8%
Vision4.4%
Dressing or bathing3.3%

Black tick: Georgia. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Clarkesville

No hospital or community health center in Clarkesville itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERNortheast Georgia Medical Center HabershamDemorest · 3.8 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyNortheast Georgia Medical Center Lumpkin★★★★★ · 26.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careMedlink GeorgiaDemorest · 3.5 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
3.5 mi
Medlink Georgia
8 sites · nearest in Demorest
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
3.8 mi
Northeast Georgia Medical Center Habersham
Demorest · ★★★★★
ER
10.2 mi
Stephens County Hospital
Toccoa · ★★★★★
ER
22.3 mi
Mountain Lakes Medical Center
Clayton · not rated
ERRural critical access
26.5 mi
Northeast Georgia Medical Center Lumpkin
Dahlonega · ★★★★★
ER
! Primary careClarkesville's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Habersham County · need score 16 of 25
! Dental careClarkesville's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Habersham County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthClarkesville's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, MHCA 3/Avita Community Partners · need score 16 of 25

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 Clarkesville. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Clarkesville
MeasureClarkesvilleMarginGeorgia
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure34.7%30.7–38.9%37.4%about the same
High cholesterol38.4%34.3–43%36.8%about the same
Obesity29.5%22.6–37.2%35.2%about the same
Arthritis26.7%23.6–30.1%24.6%about the same
Depression21.5%18.4–25.2%19%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)9.1%7.4–11.1%14.5%better
Asthma10%8.8–11.4%10.1%about the same
Cancer (not skin)9.4%8.4–10.4%7%worse
Diabetes10.9%9.2–12.6%13.3%better
COPD6.8%5.5–8.3%6.5%about the same
Heart disease6.1%5.3–7.1%6.1%about the same
Stroke3.3%2.8–3.8%3.6%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes12.6%10.1–15.4%13.6%about the same
Binge drink15.6%12.7–18.7%14.5%about the same
Get no exercise23.5%19–28.3%26.5%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours32.8%26.8–39.2%38.4%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup77.9%74.1–81.3%78.4%about the same
Dentist visit67.1%63.7–70.4%59.2%better
Cholesterol check87.1%84.7–89.1%86.8%about the same
Colon screening65.3%60.1–70%64.4%about the same
Mammogram77.5%70.3–83.8%75.8%about the same
Taking BP meds78%75.3–80.5%77.4%about the same
No health insurance11.4%8.7–14.4%13.1%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely36.5%31.1–42.5%37.3%about the same
Lack emotional support21.9%18.4–26.1%24.6%about the same
Frequent mental distress16.8%14.8–19.1%16.9%about the same
Fair or poor health17.5%14.5–20.9%20.3%about the same
Frequent physical distress13.3%11.4–15.5%13.5%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity11.5%9–14.6%17.7%better
Housing insecurity9.8%8–12%15%better
Utility shut-off threat5.8%4.8–6.9%9.6%better
No reliable transportation6.7%5.6–8%9.5%better
Receive SNAP8.2%6.3–10.5%14.2%
Disability
Any disability29.1%24.6–33.8%29.6%
Walking or climbing stairs13%10.7–15.7%14%
Thinking or memory14%12–16.4%14.4%
Hearing7.1%6.1–8.1%6.2%
Vision4.4%3.7–5.2%5.6%
Dressing or bathing3.3%2.8–4%4.2%
Errands alone8%6.7–9.5%8.7%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Clarkesville door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Georgia figure falls inside it, we don't call Clarkesville better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Clarkesville directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Georgia figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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