Photo: Nyttend · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Beardstown is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns
Beardstown differs from Illinois on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 17 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Beardstown. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Beardstown
Making ends meet is harder in Beardstown
1 in 4 adults worry about having enough food (24%), vs 15.9% across Illinois. Housing insecurity (19.2% vs 13.2%) and utility shut-off threats (11.3% vs 7.8%) are higher too. 21.5% of adults receive SNAP, vs 13.8% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Beardstown is behind on routine checkups
It trails Illinois on four of five routine checkups and screenings: dentist visits (55.2% vs 63.4%), cholesterol checks (83.1% vs 87.4%), colon screening (55.5% vs 60.2%) and mammograms (67.9% vs 73.5%). Checkups ↓
1 in 6 working-age adults in Beardstown has no health insurance
17.3% 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 Beardstown’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
What’s behind Beardstown’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Beardstown is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns, #674 of 767 in Illinois. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 40% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 10%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Beardstown’s median household income is $60,587; among the 9,086 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$76K), it’s healthier than 36%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Beardstown compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 6.5% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
21.5% of Beardstown adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Keeping up with care
Share of Beardstown adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Out of every 100 Beardstown adults…
Beardstown runs below IL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 2. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 12% of Beardstown residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Illinois. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Beardstown
No hospital or community health center in Beardstown itself. These are the nearest.
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 Beardstown; ≈ 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).
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
How Beardstown adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Beardstown runs above Illinois.
4 in 10 Beardstown adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Beardstown and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beardstown | C− | 42.3% | 12.7% | 15.9% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Beardstown adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Beardstown
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Beardstown is better than Illinois on 1 and worse on 17; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Beardstown’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Beardstown | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24.6%21.5–27.7 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14.8%13–16.7 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.1%16–20.4 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 42.3%33.2–51.6 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.7%11–14.6 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 34.1%29.9–38.4 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.3%29.9–38.8 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.1%21–27.2 | 24.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.1%8.9–11.5 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.5%5.8–7.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.1%5.5–6.8 | 5.9% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.4%6.5–8.4 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.1–3.7 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 15.3%13.5–17.2 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.9%13.6–18.3 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 29.9%25.1–35 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 17.6%14.3–21.3 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.5%34.9–42.3 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 17.3%14.7–19.9 | 9.9% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 75.3%70.9–79.2 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 55.2%52.5–57.8 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 83.1%81–85.4 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 72.3%68.9–75.4 | 75.7% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 55.5%52.6–58.6 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 67.9%63–72.9 | 73.5% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.9%17.5–24.7 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 36.1%30.5–41.7 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 28.7%24.6–33 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 24%20.7–27.5 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 19.2%16.7–21.9 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 11.3%9.8–12.9 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 11.4%10–12.9 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 21.5%18.5–24.7 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.6%29.2–38.3 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.1%13.2–17.2 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.4%14.4–18.4 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6–7.6 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 6.7%6–7.3 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.7%8.6–10.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.5%4.1–5 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Illinois figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Beardstown
Is Beardstown a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Beardstown is healthier than 24% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #674 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 36%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Beardstown?
CDC estimates 42.3% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.2% and 51.6%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Beardstown?
Sarah D Culbertson Memorial Hospital in Rushville, 10.3 miles in a straight line from Beardstown’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Beardstown have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 17.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 14.7–19.9%), against 9.9% across Illinois.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Beardstown more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to B.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Beardstown.
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. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. 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.