Photo: Aaron Lucas · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Benton is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns
Benton trails Illinois on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Benton. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Benton
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Benton
1 in 9 adults have COPD (10.8%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. 1 in 11 adults have heart disease (8.8%), vs 5.9% across Illinois. Stroke is also above the state: 4.6%, vs 3.3% across Illinois. In all, Benton runs above Illinois on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 25% of residents are 65 or older (Illinois 17%), and COPD, heart disease and stroke are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
Dental care lags in Benton
57.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.4% across Illinois. Among those 65 and older, 18.2% have lost all their teeth (Illinois 10.3%). Checkups ↓
Depression is more common in Benton
1 in 4 adults have been diagnosed with depression (24%), vs 19.8% across Illinois. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 18.7%, vs 15.6% across Illinois. Mind & connection ↓
Benton is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Benton is healthier than 16%. Against the 7,159 towns with similar household incomes ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 32%. Health Grade ↓
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 Benton’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B.
What’s behind Benton’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Benton is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns, #724 of 767 in Illinois. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 30% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 15%).
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). Benton’s median household income is $54,123; among the 7,159 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($41K–$68K), it’s healthier than 32%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Benton adults…
Benton runs above IL on 9 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Benton is an older town: 25% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Illinois. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Benton as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Benton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Benton adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Benton runs above Illinois.
1 in 3 Benton 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.
Care in and near Benton
1 hospital and 1 community health center in Benton, plus the nearest just outside it.
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 Benton; ≈ 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.
1.2 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19% of Benton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Benton and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Benton adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Benton
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Benton is better than Illinois on 0 and worse on 16; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Benton’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Benton | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 24%20.6–27.4 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.3–18.6 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.7%16.3–20.9 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 41.1%32.4–49.8 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 14.1%12.1–16.2 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 38.9%34.4–43.2 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.4%33.8–42.9 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.3%28.6–35.9 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11.1%9.7–12.6 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10%9–11 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.8%7.8–9.8 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 10.8%9.2–12.4 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.6%4.1–5.1 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.2%14.9–22.1 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.7%14.9–20.6 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.5%23.6–33.5 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.6%13.5–20 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 38.4%31.4–46.2 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.3%7.6–11.4 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%74.8–82.2 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 57.3%53.1–61.4 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.1%83–87.1 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.7%75.7–81.3 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61%55.3–66.8 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 68.4%59–77.1 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24%20.1–27.9 | 19.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 33.6%28.4–39.4 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.5%20.6–28.7 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 17.6%14.5–20.9 | 15.9% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.7%10.6–14.9 | 13.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.8%7.5–10.3 | 7.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.2%7.9–10.7 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19%15.7–22.5 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 36.6%31.7–41.5 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.8%16.1–21.5 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 16.2%14–18.4 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.4%8.3–10.6 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 6.4%5.6–7.2 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.1%9.6–12.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.1%4.4–5.8 | 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 Benton
Is Benton a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Benton is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #724 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 32%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Benton?
CDC estimates 41.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 32.4% and 49.8%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Benton?
Franklin Hospital in Benton, 0.3 miles in a straight line from Benton’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Benton have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7.6–11.4%), 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 Benton 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 Benton.
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.