Growing Population

Georgia has the 8th largest population among U.S. states with 10.62 million residents. The state experienced robust growth at a rate of 9.6% from 2010 through 2019, about 50% above the overall national growth rate.

Despite this growth, Georgia’s fertility rate is the 22nd lowest nationally (tied with South Carolina). With a median age of 37.3 years, Georgia ties with Kansas as the 8th youngest state, contributing to its relatively dynamic population profile.

Mixed Mortality Profile

Georgia presents a complex mortality profile. The state’s overall mortality rate of 809.9 deaths per 100,000 ranks as the 9th lowest among U.S. states. However, when adjusted for population age, Georgia’s mortality rate ranks 13th highest, and the state’s life expectancy of 77.2 years ranks 13th shortest nationally.

This discrepancy reflects Georgia’s younger population structure masking some underlying health challenges that become apparent when age differences are factored out.

High-Risk Health Conditions

Georgia ranks among the ten states with the highest rates for several serious health conditions:

• Alzheimer’s Disease: 4th highest rate nationally
• Kidney Disease: 5th highest rate
• Septicemia: 5th highest rate
• Stroke: 8th highest rate
• Heart Disease: 14th highest rate

Areas of Strength

Georgia demonstrates better-than-average performance in several areas:

• Drug Overdose Deaths: 6th lowest nationally
• Accidental Deaths: 7th lowest overall rate
• Falls: 6th lowest rate of deaths due to falls
• Accidental Poisoning: 9th lowest rate
• Suicide Rate: 20th lowest nationally

Birth Outcome Challenges

Georgia faces significant challenges in maternal and infant health outcomes:

• Infant Mortality: 8th highest nationally at 6.98 per 1,000 live births
• Low Birth Weight: 4th highest rate of low birth weight babies
• Preterm Births: 6th highest rate of preterm births
• Racial Inequality: 4th lowest racial inequality in premature deaths

These indicators suggest ongoing health disparities that require continued public health attention and intervention.

Violence and Traffic Safety

Georgia has a homicide rate of 8.1 per 100,000, which ties with Illinois for the 12th highest nationally. The state ranks 14th highest for all firearm-related mortalities.

However, Georgia shows positive safety outcomes in transportation. The state is the second safest state in the Southeast for motorists, with only Virginia having a lower vehicle mortality rate than Georgia’s 14.5 deaths per 100,000 residents.

Middle-of-the-Pack Health Behaviors

Georgia residents exhibit moderate health risk behaviors compared to other states:

• Smoking Rate: 25th highest at 16.1% of adults
• Obesity Rate: 23rd highest at 33.1% of adults

These middle-tier rankings suggest opportunities for targeted public health interventions to improve lifestyle-related health outcomes.

Pandemic Response

Through August 2021, Georgia’s COVID-19 mortality rate reached 198 deaths per 100,000, approximately 5% above the overall national rate and ranking 18th highest among U.S. states. This indicates the state experienced moderate impact compared to the most severely affected regions.

Life Insurance Considerations

For these reasons, we at IBUSA will typically try to help applicants from Georgia first qualify for no medical exam term life insurance when possible.

For those that won’t be able to qualify for such a policy, fully underwritten life insurance policies and guaranteed issue life insurance policies may still be an option.

Even though Georgia’s accidental death rate is relatively low, we still typically recommend that our clients at least consider purchasing an additional accidental death policy as a way to supplement any traditional life insurance coverage they may already have.

Family Stability

Georgia demonstrates strong family stability indicators. With just 2.3 divorces per 1,000 residents, Georgia’s divorce rate ties with several states for the 4th lowest nationally, behind only Illinois, Massachusetts, and Texas. This social stability may contribute to overall community health and wellbeing.

Summary: Georgia’s Health Profile

Georgia presents a dynamic state with robust population growth and a young demographic profile. While the state benefits from low rates of drug overdoses and accidental deaths, it faces challenges with several chronic diseases including high rates of stroke, kidney disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

The state’s mixed mortality profile—with overall low crude mortality rates but higher age-adjusted rates—reflects both the benefits of a younger population and underlying health challenges that require ongoing attention. Georgia’s strong family stability and moderate pandemic impact provide positive foundations for continued health improvements.

Data Sources

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service (citing U.S. Census Bureau, 2019)

Statista, Population Density in the U.S. by Federal States (2020)

StatsAmerica (Indiana Business Research Center), Median Age in 2019

CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, State & Territorial Data (2018-2019)

Kaiser Family Foundation, Number of Deaths per 100,000 Population (2019)

United Health Foundation, America’s Health Rankings, 2020 Annual Report: Georgia

CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, Life Expectancy at Birth by State (2018)

National Safety Council, State Overview Table (2019)

CDC, State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation System (2018)

Statista, Percentage of Adults with Obesity in the United States (2019)

National Safety Council, Motor-Vehicle Deaths by State (2019)