It’s January, which means people across Georgia will be embracing the “new year, new me” mentality by trying out new health tips or exercise routines.
But they may be facing an uphill battle, an annual national health report found.
In the 2025 America’s Health Rankings report from the United Health Foundation, Georgia ranked 38th nationally, one of the state’s lower rankings in recent years.
Here’s what gave the Peach State a low grade.
Georgia’s strengths
The report analyzes factors of community and family safety, economic resources, education, social support and engagement, air and water quality, climate policies, housing and transit, access to care, preventative services, quality of care, nutrition and physical activity, sexual health, sleep health, drug and alcohol use, overall physical health and mortality to give states an overall health ranking.
Georgia was ranked 38th for 2025, but there were still a few highlights.
The state overall had a low prevalence of excessive drinking, ranked fifth, compared to other parts of the country. There was also a high prevalence of high-speed internet which allows access to educational resources and telehealth programs. Georgians also have a relatively low prevalence of e-cigarette use compared to other states.
Georgia ranked sixth for water fluoridation and 11th in fruit and vegetable consumption.
Georgia’s weaknesses
On the other hand, Georgia has a high prevalence of non-medical drug use and high incidence of chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease.
There is also a high prevalence of adults that will avoid medical care they need because of the cost. Adults that found themselves in frequent physical distress increased 42% from 2020 to 2024 in Georgia.
The state ranked 46th in factors of clinical care, meaning care access, preventative services and quality of care. Georgia ranked 49th in percentage of the population that is uninsured, and 48th for access to mental health providers.
Air pollution between 2017 and 2024 increased 7%, and 27.9% of the population says they are facing multiple chronic conditions, 10% in metro areas and 17.9% in the rural parts of the state.
National health trends
Nationally, the report found cancer screenings were up 15% in adults between the ages of 40 and 75 and premature death was down 8%.
But homelessness was also up 16% and air pollution increased 13%. Unemployment for those age 16 and older was up 7%, between 2023 and 2024, and those with chronic conditions increased 6%.
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Georgia ranked 38th nationally in annual health report for 2025
