Photo: Tyler Warren · CC BY 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Bethalto is healthier than 83%
Bethalto differs from Illinois on 10 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 6 better, 4 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Bethalto. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Bethalto
Bethalto is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Bethalto is healthier than 61%. Against the 9,895 towns with similar household incomes ($49K–$81K), it’s healthier than 83%. Health Grade ↓
Cancer, COPD and arthritis run high in Bethalto
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (9.7%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 1 in 13 adults have COPD (7.6%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. Arthritis is also above the state: 28.9%, vs 24.2% across Illinois. In all, Bethalto runs above Illinois on four of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Fewer Bethalto adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Illinois. 1 in 8 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
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 Bethalto’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
What’s behind Bethalto’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bethalto is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns, #418 of 767 in Illinois. No exercise holds the grade up (fewer adults who get no exercise than 73% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 41%).
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). Bethalto’s median household income is $64,775; among the 9,895 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$81K), it’s healthier than 83%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Most Illinois towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Bethalto is healthier than 46% of graded towns, against 61% nationally.
Out of every 100 Bethalto adults…
Bethalto runs above IL on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
11.4% of Bethalto adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Care in and near Bethalto
1 community health center in Bethalto, 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 Bethalto; ≈ 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.
2.9 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Bethalto adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Bethalto adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Bethalto 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.
Bethalto and the towns around it
Bethalto’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 7 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethalto | B | 37.4% | 10.9% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| Rosewood Heights | B− | 38% | 11.7% | 13.9% | CDC place |
| Wood River | B− | 39.2% | 10.8% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| Foster Township | C | 40.8% | 13% | 15.4% | ZIP codes |
| Wood River Township | C+ | 39.8% | 11.8% | 15.9% | ZIP codes |
| Moro Township | B+ | 36.9% | 11% | 12.7% | ZIP codes |
| Fort Russell Township | A− | 36.1% | 9.7% | 11.5% | ZIP codes |
| Moro | — | — | — | — |
Moro: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Bethalto adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Bethalto
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Bethalto is better than Illinois on 6 and worse on 4; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Bethalto’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Bethalto | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 18.2%15.7–20.9 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.7%12–15.5 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.2%15–19.3 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 37.4%30.9–44.4 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 10.9%9.4–12.6 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 35.4%31.5–39.6 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 36.7%32.5–41 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.9%25.7–32.3 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.5%9.2–11.9 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.7%8.7–10.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6–7.6 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 7.6%6.6–8.6 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.5%3.2–3.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 10.1%8–12.4 | 10.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.3%11.1–15.7 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 22%18.1–26.3 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%15.2–21.7 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.3%28.1–40.9 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.1%5.7–8.6 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.1%74.4–81.4 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 65.1%61.4–68.8 | 63.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 86.9%85–88.8 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.8%73.7–79.6 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.6%60.4–70.4 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.3%67.3–82.3 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.3–26.3 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.4%28.8–38.5 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 24.4%21–28.1 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.4%10.3–14.8 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.4%8.7–12.1 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.3%5.5–7.4 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 6.7%5.8–7.7 | 8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 11.4%9.4–13.7 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.3%27.1–35.5 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 14%12.1–16.1 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.2%11.5–15 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.6%6.7–8.6 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.1%7.1–9.1 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.4%3.1–3.9 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
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 Bethalto
Is Bethalto a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Bethalto is healthier than 61% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health, #418 of 767 in Illinois. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Bethalto?
CDC estimates 37.4% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.9% and 44.4%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Bethalto?
Alton Memorial Hospital in Alton, 6.1 miles in a straight line from Bethalto’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Bethalto have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.1% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.7–8.6%), 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 Bethalto more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Bethalto.
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.