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Health in Buffalo · CDC PLACES 2025

Where Buffalo residents get care

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

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Buffalo

Cancer and arthritis run high in Buffalo

1 in 11 adults have had cancer (9.2%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 3 in 10 adults have arthritis (28%), vs 24.2% across Illinois. Conditions ↓

Fewer Buffalo 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 Buffalo is insured

Only 6.3% 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 Buffalo’s likely range.

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Buffalo adults…

Buffalo runs above IL on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.

9 of every 100 Buffalo adults have had cancer
Illinois: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 8.3–10.2%
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
Buffalo adults worry about having enough food
10.8% · IL 15.9%
Better than IL
1 in 11
Buffalo adults worry about keeping their housing
9.5% · IL 13.2%
Better than IL
1 in 17
Buffalo adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
6% · IL 7.8%
Better than IL
1 in 16
Buffalo adults lack reliable transportation
6.1% · IL 8%
Better than IL

10.2% of Buffalo adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%Yearly checkupIL 78%
65%Dentist visitIL 63%
88%Cholesterol checkIL 87%
60%Colon screeningIL 60%
74%MammogramIL 74%
77%Taking BP medsIL 76%
1 in 16
working-age adults has no health insurance
Buffalo 6.3% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Getting care

Care in and near Buffalo

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

HNearest ERMemorial Medical CenterSpringfield · 12.5 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMemorial Medical Center★★★★★ · 12.5 miDirections →
+Low-cost careSouthern Illinois University School of MedicineSpringfield · 10.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
10.2 mi
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
4 sites · nearest in Springfield
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
11.8 mi
Central Counties Health Centers
4 sites · nearest in Springfield
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
12.5 mi
Memorial Medical Center
Springfield · ★★★★★
ER
12.8 mi
St. Johns Hospital
Springfield · ★★★★★
ER
21 mi
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital
Lincoln · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
21.3 mi
Taylorville Memorial Hospital
Taylorville · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Buffalo itself
✓ Dental careBuffalo is not a shortage area
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Buffalo 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 Buffalo; ≈ 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 20.8%IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hours 34.9%IL 35.4%
Binge drink 19.1%IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 13.6%IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Buffalo, betterBuffalo, worseAbout the sameIllinois
Where Buffalo gets moving

0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Buffalo adults are doing

About the same as Illinois on each measure.

1 in 3Buffalo adults feel lonely
32.6% · IL 33.5% · About the same as IL
1 in 4Buffalo adults lack social or emotional support
23% · IL 25.4% · About the same as IL
1 in 4Buffalo adults have been diagnosed with depression
22.4% · IL 19.8% · About the same as IL
1 in 6Buffalo adults are in frequent mental distress
16.9% · IL 15.6% · About the same as IL
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Buffalo 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

Buffalo 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%

of Buffalo adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs12.6%
Thinking or memory12.8%
Hearing6.6%
Errands alone7.5%
Vision4%
Dressing or bathing3.2%
Illinois

Questions about health in Buffalo

Why doesn’t Buffalo have a Health Grade?

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

What hospital is closest to Buffalo?

Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, 12.5 miles in a straight line from Buffalo’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.

Neighbors talk health

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

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.