Health · Clarkston

Clarkston, GA health

Clarkston differs from Georgia on 22 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (3.1% vs 7%) and fewer adults with arthritis (17.7% vs 24.6%). Where it trails the state: more adults facing a utility shut-off (21.5% vs 9.6%).

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

Clarkston’s Health Grade: C−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Clarkston is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns, and than 42% of towns with similar incomes.

DSelf-rated healthC+Physical distressD-Mental distressC+ObesityC-DiabetesDSmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 16%
Less healthyHealthier
Georgia towns we grade (384)Healthier than 39%
Towns with similar incomes, $36K–$61K (4,927)Healthier than 42%

Better than its income would suggest. Clarkston is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is C−.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Clarkston could be anywhere from D− to C+.
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 Clarkston 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. Clarkston 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 Clarkston 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 Clarkston adults…

38 of every 100 Clarkston adults have high blood pressure
Georgia: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 34.8–41.1%

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

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Clarkston, betterClarkston, worseToo close to callGeorgia
Get no exerciseshare of adults 32.4% Clarkston
GA 26.5%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 44.5% Clarkston
GA 38.4%
Binge drinkshare of adults 12.9% Clarkston
GA 14.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 19.8% Clarkston
GA 13.6%
0%10%20%30%40%50%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

76%
Yearly checkup
GA 78%
41%
Dentist visit
GA 59%
81%
Cholesterol check
GA 87%
53%
Colon screening
GA 64%
74%
Mammogram
GA 76%
70%
Taking BP meds
GA 77%
1 in 5
working-age adults has no health insurance
Clarkston 18.7% · Georgia 1 in 8 (13.1%)
Mind & connection

How Clarkston adults are doing

1 in 2Clarkston adults feel lonely
45% · Georgia 37.3% · worse
1 in 5Clarkston adults have been diagnosed with depression
18.5% · Georgia 19% · too close to call
1 in 3Clarkston adults lack social or emotional support
32.3% · Georgia 24.6% · worse
1 in 5Clarkston adults are in frequent mental distress
21.3% · Georgia 16.9% · worse
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 3
Clarkston adults worry about having enough food
37.2% · GA 17.7% · worse
1 in 3
Clarkston adults worry about keeping their housing
29.2% · GA 15% · worse
1 in 5
Clarkston adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
21.5% · GA 9.6% · worse
1 in 5
Clarkston adults lack reliable transportation
19.5% · GA 9.5% · worse

35.8% of Clarkston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.2% across Georgia.

Disability

Living with a disability

31.5%

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

Walking or climbing stairs14.7%
Thinking or memory19.8%
Hearing4.4%
Errands alone13%
Vision9.1%
Dressing or bathing6.3%

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

Around Clarkston

Clarkston and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Clarkston.

Scottdale: 28.8% Tucker: 29.8% Decatur: 25.4% North Decatur: 24.1% Avondale Estates: 26.9% Mountain Park: 32.8% Clarkston: 37.2% Clarkston Scottdale Tucker Emory Decatur Hospital · Decatur · 3 mi · 2★ MedicareH Decatur (Atlanta) VA Medical Center · Decatur · 4.2 mi · 3★ MedicareH Ethne Health - Main · Clarkston · 0.5 mi+ Medcura Clarkston · Clarkston · 0.5 mi+
24.1%37.2%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#7 of 7towns on this map, healthiest first
Scottdale28.8%
Tucker29.8%
Clarkston37.2%

Care in and near Clarkston

2 community health centers in Clarkston, plus the nearest outside it. Nearest first.

Emory Decatur HospitalDecatur · 3 mi · ★★★★★ DirectionsMedicare profile
Decatur (Atlanta) VA Medical CenterDecatur · 4.2 mi · ★★★★★ · ER · VA DirectionsMedicare profile
Athur M Blank HospitalAtlanta · 4.9 mi · ER · children's DirectionsMedicare profile
Emory University HospitalAtlanta · 5.2 mi · ★★★★★ · ER DirectionsMedicare profile
Ethne Health - MainClarkston · 0.5 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees · 4 sites in Clarkston Directions to nearest site
Medcura ClarkstonClarkston · 0.5 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions
✓ Primary careClarkston is not a shortage area
✓ Dental careClarkston is not a shortage area
! Mental healthClarkston's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, MHCA 8/Dekalb Community Service Board · need score 17 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Clarkston. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Clarkston
MeasureClarkstonMarginGeorgia
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure37.9%34.8–41.1%37.4%about the same
High cholesterol31.6%28.8–34.5%36.8%better
Obesity37.2%32.9–41.5%35.2%about the same
Arthritis17.7%15.8–19.6%24.6%better
Depression18.5%16.1–21.1%19%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)28.1%24.3–32.3%14.5%worse
Asthma11.7%10.4–13%10.1%worse
Cancer (not skin)3.1%2.8–3.4%7%better
Diabetes14.2%12.6–15.8%13.3%about the same
COPD6.8%6.1–7.7%6.5%about the same
Heart disease4.7%4.2–5.2%6.1%better
Stroke3.7%3.4–4%3.6%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes19.8%17.2–22.4%13.6%worse
Binge drink12.9%10.8–15%14.5%about the same
Get no exercise32.4%28.6–36.3%26.5%worse
Sleep under 7 hours44.5%40–49.3%38.4%worse
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup76%72.8–78.9%78.4%about the same
Dentist visit41%37.8–44.2%59.2%worse
Cholesterol check80.7%78.2–82.9%86.8%worse
Colon screening52.5%48.1–57.1%64.4%worse
Mammogram74.1%67.6–80.3%75.8%about the same
Taking BP meds70.3%67.1–73.3%77.4%worse
No health insurance18.7%16–21.5%13.1%worse
Mind & connection
Feel lonely45%40.8–49.3%37.3%worse
Lack emotional support32.3%28.5–36.2%24.6%worse
Frequent mental distress21.3%19–23.6%16.9%worse
Fair or poor health27.3%24.4–30.4%20.3%worse
Frequent physical distress14.8%13.1–16.5%13.5%about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity37.2%33.3–41.4%17.7%worse
Housing insecurity29.2%25.9–32.7%15%worse
Utility shut-off threat21.5%19–24.2%9.6%worse
No reliable transportation19.5%17.3–21.8%9.5%worse
Receive SNAP35.8%32–39.9%14.2%
Disability
Any disability31.5%28.1–35%29.6%
Walking or climbing stairs14.7%13–16.6%14%
Thinking or memory19.8%17.6–22.2%14.4%
Hearing4.4%3.9–4.9%6.2%
Vision9.1%8.2–10.1%5.6%
Dressing or bathing6.3%5.7–7%4.2%
Errands alone13%11.5–14.5%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 Clarkston door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Georgia figure falls inside it, we don't call Clarkston better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Clarkston 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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Clarkston

Georgia · GA
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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01