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Carthage Jail from southwestPhoto: Nyttend · Public domain
≈ B+Health Grade
Health in Carthage · CDC PLACES 2025

On CDC estimates, Carthage is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns

Carthage differs from Illinois on 11 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 3 worse.

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

What stands out · In brief

What stands out about health in Carthage

Cancer and heart disease run high in Carthage

1 in 9 adults have had cancer (10.8%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 1 in 14 adults have heart disease (7.2%), vs 5.9% across Illinois. In all, Carthage runs above Illinois on three of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓

Fewer Carthage adults struggle to make ends meet

Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Illinois. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓

Carthage has a top-rated hospital

Memorial Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓

Nearly everyone in Carthage 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 Carthage’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C to A.

Health Grade

What’s behind Carthage’s grade

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Carthage is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 76% of towns); the weakest is obesity, still better than 53%.

B+Self-rated health17% · IL 18.6% · U.S. 19.4%
B+Physical distress12.8% · IL 12.2% · U.S. 13%
A−Mental distress15.4% · IL 15.6% · U.S. 15.9%
B−Obesity35.8% · IL 34% · U.S. 32.9%
BDiabetes11.2% · IL 11.7% · U.S. 12%
A−Smoking11.8% smoke · IL 12.1% · U.S. 11.8%
B+Exercise22.1% · IL 23% · U.S. 24.7%
All U.S. towns we grade (21,250)Healthier than 73%
Less healthyHealthier
U.S. towns with similar incomes, $58K–$96K (10,827)Healthier than 85%

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). Carthage’s median household income is $77,004; among the 10,827 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($58K–$96K), it’s healthier than 85%, about where its income would put it.

A rough placement. CDC’s likely ranges are wide here: with every estimate at one end or the other, Carthage could be anywhere from C to A. The letter shows with “≈”.

How TownRatings grades health →

★ What stands out · Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Carthage adults…

Carthage runs below IL on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.

11 of every 100 Carthage adults have had cancer
Illinois: 8 in 100 · worse · likely 9.7–12%
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 10
Carthage adults worry about having enough food
10.1% · IL 15.9%
Better than IL
1 in 12
Carthage adults worry about keeping their housing
8.4% · IL 13.2%
Better than IL
1 in 19
Carthage adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
5.3% · IL 7.8%
Better than IL
1 in 17
Carthage adults lack reliable transportation
5.8% · IL 8%
Better than IL

9.2% of Carthage adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.

Getting care

Care in and near Carthage

1 hospital in Carthage, plus the nearest just outside it.

HNearest ERMemorial HospitalCarthage · 1 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyMemorial Hospital★★★★★ · 1.0 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCommunity Health Centers of Southeastern IowaKeokuk · 14 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
1 mi
Memorial Hospital
Carthage · ★★★★★
ERRural critical accessIn Carthage
14 mi
Community Health Centers of Southeastern Iowa
2 sites · nearest in Keokuk
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
24.4 mi
Kahoka Dental
Kahoka · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
24.5 mi
Mc Donough District Hospital
Macomb · ★★★★★
ER
27.5 mi
Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center
West Burlington · ★★★★★
ER
36 mi
Blessing Hospital
Quincy · ★★★★★
ER
✓ Primary careNo HRSA shortage area covers Carthage itself
✓ Dental careNo HRSA shortage area covers Carthage itself
✓ Mental healthNo HRSA shortage area covers Carthage 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 Carthage; ≈ 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).

Checkups & screenings

Keeping up with care

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

79%Yearly checkupIL 78%
66%Dentist visitIL 63%
89%Cholesterol checkIL 87%
68%Colon screeningIL 60%
71%MammogramIL 74%
79%Taking BP medsIL 76%
1 in 15
working-age adults has no health insurance
Carthage 6.8% · Illinois 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois

Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.

Get no exercise 22.1%IL 23%
Sleep under 7 hours 32.4%IL 35.4%
Binge drink 17.7%IL 17.8%
Smoke cigarettes 11.8%IL 12.1%
0%10%20%30%40%
Carthage, betterCarthage, worseAbout the sameIllinois
Where Carthage gets moving

0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves

Parks & trails →
Mind & connection

How Carthage adults are doing

About the same as Illinois on each measure.

1 in 3Carthage adults feel lonely
31.7% · IL 33.5% · About the same as IL
1 in 5Carthage adults lack social or emotional support
21.9% · IL 25.4% · About the same as IL
1 in 5Carthage adults have been diagnosed with depression
21.5% · IL 19.8% · About the same as IL
1 in 6Carthage adults are in frequent mental distress
15.4% · IL 15.6% · About the same as IL
The one neighbors can help with

1 in 3 Carthage 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

Carthage and the towns around it

How health changes across the town line.

Health next door

TownHealthObesityDiabetesSmokingFigures from
CarthageB+35.8%11.2%11.8%CDC place

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

Disability

Living with a disability

Shown without a better/worse judgment.

29.5%

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

Walking or climbing stairs13.8%
Thinking or memory12.1%
Hearing8.1%
Errands alone7.6%
Vision4.3%
Dressing or bathing3.3%
Illinois

Every CDC estimate for Carthage

Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.

On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Carthage is better than Illinois on 8 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Carthage’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.

Adults who…CarthageILU.S.vs IL
Overall health
Fair or poor health17%13.7–20.518.6%19.4%About the same
Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month)12.8%10.8–15.212.2%13%About the same
Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month)15.4%13.2–17.815.6%15.9%About the same
Conditions
Obesity35.8%27.5–4534%32.9%About the same
Diabetes11.2%9.4–13.311.7%12%About the same
High blood pressure36.2%31.7–4133%34.4%About the same
High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years)38.6%33.8–43.735.4%37.1%About the same
Arthritis29.5%25.8–33.524.2%25.3%Worse
Asthma10.1%8.8–11.59.9%9.9%About the same
Cancer, other than skin cancer10.8%9.7–127.6%7.9%Worse
Coronary heart disease7.2%6.2–8.45.9%6.4%Worse
COPD7.3%5.9–96.3%6.3%About the same
Stroke3.6%3.1–4.23.3%3.4%About the same
Lost all teeth (ages 65+)7.1%5.6–8.810.3%12.3%Better
Habits
Smoke cigarettes11.8%9.1–14.812.1%11.8%About the same
No exercise outside work22.1%17.3–27.523%24.7%About the same
Binge drinking17.7%14.5–21.417.8%15.4%About the same
Sleep under 7 hours32.4%26.2–39.735.4%36%About the same
Checkups and coverage
No health insurance (ages 18–64)6.8%5–8.89.9%11%Better
Checkup in the past year79.4%75.6–8377.8%77.4%About the same
Dentist visit in the past year66.1%62.3–69.963.4%63.2%About the same
Cholesterol check in 5 years88.5%86.4–90.687.4%87.1%About the same
Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure)78.9%75.8–81.875.7%76.5%Better
Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75)68.2%62.9–73.660.2%65.5%Better
Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74)71.4%62.3–79.873.5%76.4%About the same
Mind and connection
Ever told they have depression21.5%18–25.619.8%20.6%About the same
Feel lonely31.7%26.4–37.733.5%32.5%About the same
Lack social and emotional support21.9%17.9–26.425.4%23.6%About the same
Everyday needs
Worried about having enough food10.1%7.6–12.915.9%15%Better
Worried about keeping housing8.4%6.6–10.513.2%12%Better
Threatened with a utility shut-off5.3%4.3–6.57.8%7.6%Better
Lack reliable transportation5.8%4.8–7.18%7.9%Better
Received SNAP (food stamps)9.2%6.8–12.113.8%11.6%Lower
Disability
Any disability29.5%24.6–34.827.6%30.1%About the same
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs13.8%11.2–16.812.8%13.6%About the same
Difficulty concentrating or remembering12.1%10–14.412.6%13.9%About the same
Hearing difficulty8.1%7–9.46.2%6.7%Higher
Vision difficulty4.3%3.5–5.14.8%5.4%About the same
Difficulty doing errands alone7.6%6.2–9.27.6%7.9%About the same
Difficulty dressing or bathing3.3%2.7–43.5%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 Carthage

Is Carthage a healthy place to live?

On seven CDC estimates for adults, Carthage is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 85%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.

What is the obesity rate in Carthage?

CDC estimates 35.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 27.5% and 45%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.

What hospital is closest to Carthage?

Memorial Hospital in Carthage, 1.0 miles in a straight line from Carthage’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.

How many people in Carthage have no health insurance?

CDC estimates 6.8% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5–8.8%), 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 Carthage 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 Carthage.

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. 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.