Photo: Cosmo1976 · Public domainOn CDC estimates, Cary is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns
Cary beats Illinois on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Cary. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Cary
Fewer Cary adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Illinois. 1 in 11 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 6 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Stroke and diabetes are less common in Cary
Cary runs below Illinois on four chronic conditions, most of all stroke (2.5% vs 3.3%), diabetes (9.2% vs 11.7%) and COPD (5.1% vs 6.3%). Conditions ↓
Cary is an active town
Only 18.2% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23% across Illinois. Habits ↓
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 Cary’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Cary’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cary is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns, #112 of 767 in Illinois. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is physical distress (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 91% of towns); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 78%.
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). Cary’s median household income is $113,026; among the 6,740 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($85K–$141K), it’s healthier than 86%, about where its income would put it.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7.3% of Cary adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Out of every 100 Cary adults…
Cary runs below IL on 4 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
7.8 miles of trails across 22 parks and preserves
Care in and near Cary
No hospital or community health center in Cary 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 Cary; ≈ 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).
Keeping up with care
Share of Cary adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Cary adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Cary does better than Illinois.
1 in 3 Cary 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.
Cary and the towns around it
Cary’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cary | A | 31.1% | 9.2% | 10.4% | CDC place |
| Trout Valley | — | — | — | — | |
| Algonquin | A | 31.3% | 9.8% | 10.6% | CDC place |
| Lake in the Hills | A | 31.9% | 9.1% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Crystal Lake | A | 31.7% | 9.7% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Fox River Grove | A | 30.4% | 8.8% | 9.8% | CDC place |
Trout Valley: 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 Cary adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Cary
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Cary is better than Illinois on 13 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Cary’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Cary | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.1%12.2–16.3 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.8%9.5–12.4 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.2%13.4–17.3 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.1%25.1–37.7 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 9.2%7.9–10.7 | 11.7% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 31.3%27.5–35.3 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.5%30.2–38.7 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 24.9%21.8–28 | 24.2% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.8%8.6–11.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.2%7.4–9 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.8%4.3–5.4 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.1%4.5–5.9 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.5%2.3–2.8 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 9%7.1–11 | 10.3% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 10.4%8.7–12.5 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 18.2%15–21.9 | 23% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 19.8%16.4–23.4 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.1%24.6–36 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%5.1–7.1 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 77.3%73.5–80.7 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 69.9%66.5–73.2 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.5%86.9–90.1 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 74%70.4–77.3 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 64.5%59.1–69.4 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 76.2%68.5–82.9 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.2%18.9–25.8 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.2%26.7–36 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 21.5%18.4–25 | 25.4% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.1%7.6–10.8 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.3%7–9.7 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5%4.2–5.8 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 8% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7.3%6–8.8 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 23.7%20.4–27.5 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.7%8.3–11.3 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11%9.6–12.6 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.4%4.8–6.2 | 6.2% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.9–3.6 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 5.9%5.2–6.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.3–2.8 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
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 Cary
Is Cary a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Cary is healthier than 90% of U.S. towns: A for health, #112 of 767 in Illinois. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 86%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Cary?
CDC estimates 31.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.1% and 37.7%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Cary?
Mercyhealth Hospital & Physician Clinic-Crystal La in Crystal Lake, 4.2 miles in a straight line from Cary’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; it has no Medicare star rating.
How many people in Cary have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5.1–7.1%), 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 Cary more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Cary.
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.