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Alpha GazeboPhoto: 2Bdea · CC BY 3.0
–Not graded
Health in Alpha · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Alpha residents get care

CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Alpha, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.

Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Alpha. How CDC estimates town health

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Alpha

Cancer and arthritis run high in Alpha

1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.6%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (27.9%), vs 24.2% across Illinois. Conditions ↓

Fewer Alpha adults struggle to make ends meet

Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Illinois. 1 in 9 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓

Nearly everyone in Alpha is insured

Only 6.8% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 9.9% across Illinois. Checkups ↓

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 Illinois figure falls outside Alpha’s likely range.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Alpha adults…

Alpha runs above IL on 3 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

10 of every 100 Alpha adults have had cancer
Illinois: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 8.6–10.6%
Better than ILWorseAbout the sameIllinois
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
Alpha adults worry about having enough food
11% · IL 15.9%
Better than IL
1 in 11
Alpha adults worry about keeping their housing
9.4% · IL 13.2%
Better than IL
1 in 16
Alpha adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6.1% · IL 7.8%
Better than IL
1 in 16
Alpha adults lack reliable transportation
6.3% · IL 8%
Better than IL

10.4% of Alpha adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

78%Yearly checkupIL 78%
65%Dentist visitIL 63%
88%Cholesterol checkIL 87%
64%Colon screeningIL 60%
73%MammogramIL 74%
77%Taking BP medsIL 76%
1 in 15
working-age adults has no health insurance
Alpha 6.8% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Getting care

Care in and near Alpha

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

HNearest ERSt. Mary Medical CenterGalesburg · 14 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbySt. Mary Medical Center★★★★★ · 14.0 miDirections →
+Low-cost careKnox Community Health CenterGalesburg · 15.8 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
14 mi
St. Mary Medical Center
Galesburg · ★★★★★
ER
15.8 mi
Knox Community Health Center
Galesburg · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
17.3 mi
Solvera Health Galesburg
Galesburg · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
19.7 mi
Genesis Medical Center, Aledo
Aledo · not rated
ERRural critical access
21.1 mi
Genesis Medical Center-Illini
Silvis · ★★★★★
ER
21.9 mi
Hammond Henry Hospital
Geneseo · not rated
ERRural critical access
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Alpha itself
✓ Dental careAlpha is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Alpha itself

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 Alpha; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois

Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.

Get no exercise 21.8%IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hours 35%IL 35.4%
Binge drink 19.4%IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 13.4%IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Alpha, betterAlpha, worseAbout the sameIllinois
Where Alpha gets moving

Walk with neighbors

The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.

Mind & connection

How Alpha adults are doing

About the same as Illinois on each measure.

1 in 3Alpha adults feel lonely
32% · IL 33.5% · About the same as IL
1 in 4Alpha adults lack social or emotional support
22.9% · IL 25.4% · About the same as IL
1 in 4Alpha adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.6% · IL 19.8% · About the same as IL
1 in 6Alpha adults are in frequent mental distress
16.5% · IL 15.6% · About the same as IL
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Alpha adults feel lonely. 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.

Around town

Alpha and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from

Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

28.8%

of Alpha adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs12.9%
Thinking or memory12.7%
Hearing7.3%
Errands alone7.5%
Vision4.1%
Dressing or bathing3.3%
Illinois

Questions about health in Alpha

Why doesn’t Alpha have a Health Grade?

Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Alpha.

What hospital is closest to Alpha?

St. Mary Medical Center in Galesburg, 14.0 miles in a straight line from Alpha’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.

Neighbors talk health

Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Alpha.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Illinois figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. 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.