Central City’s CDC health estimates rank near the bottom of U.S. towns
Central City trails Illinois on 23 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Central City. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Central City
COPD, heart disease and stroke run high in Central City
1 in 7 adults have COPD (14.6%), more than twice the Illinois rate. 1 in 10 adults have heart disease (9.7%), vs 5.9% across Illinois. Stroke is also above the state: 5.4%, vs 3.3% across Illinois. In all, Central City runs above Illinois on nine of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Smoking is more common in Central City
1 in 4 adults smoke cigarettes (26.7%), more than twice the Illinois rate. Habits ↓
Dental care lags in Central City
44% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.4% across Illinois. Among those 65 and older, 33.1% have lost all their teeth (Illinois 10.3%). 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 Central City’s likely range.
What’s behind Central City’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Central City is near the bottom of U.S. towns. All seven of Central City’s estimates fall in the lowest 8% of U.S. towns. The furthest from typical is smoking: 26.7% of adults, against 12.1% across Illinois and 11.8% nationally.
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). Central City’s median household income is $44,896; among the 3,964 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($34K–$56K), it’s healthier than 4%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Central City adults…
Central City runs above IL on 10 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.
0.4 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Central City adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
Care in and near Central City
No hospital or community health center in Central City 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 Central City; ≈ 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).
How Central City adults are doing
On 2 of 4 measures, Central City runs above Illinois.
1 in 3 Central City 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.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
36.8% of Central City adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Central City and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central City | D− | 46.7% | 16.6% | 26.7% | CDC place |
| Centralia | D | 41.4% | 15.2% | 18.5% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Central City adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Central City
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Central City is better than Illinois on 0 and worse on 23; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Central City’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Central City | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 32.4%27.5–37.3 | 18.6% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.1%17.3–22.9 | 12.2% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 23%20–25.9 | 15.6% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 46.7%37.4–56.1 | 34% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 16.6%14.2–19 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 41.6%36.8–46.5 | 33% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.9%33.1–42.4 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 32.6%28.8–36.6 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 12.4%10.8–14.1 | 9.9% | 9.9% | Worse |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.2%7.3–9.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 9.7%8.5–10.9 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 14.6%12.5–16.8 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 5.4%4.7–6.1 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 33.1%27.7–39.1 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 26.7%21.9–31.1 | 12.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 36.2%29.9–42.5 | 23% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 16.7%13.5–20.4 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.3%33.7–49.4 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 12.6%9.5–15.9 | 9.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 76.5%72.1–80.7 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 44%39.7–48.3 | 63.4% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.6%77.5–83.9 | 87.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 75.9%72.7–79.2 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 53.8%47.8–59.9 | 60.2% | 65.5% | Worse |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 63.6%53.3–73 | 73.5% | 76.4% | Worse |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 27.7%23.4–32.3 | 19.8% | 20.6% | Worse |
| Feel lonely | 35.3%29.9–41.1 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26%21.8–30.4 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 29.8%24.5–35.1 | 15.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.4%16.9–23.9 | 13.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 15.8%13.4–18.2 | 7.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.9%12.5–17.2 | 8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 36.8%31–42.8 | 13.8% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 42.9%36.9–48.6 | 27.6% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 22.7%19.4–26.1 | 12.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 21.7%18.3–24.9 | 12.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 9.9%8.6–11.2 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.4%8.2–10.8 | 4.8% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 15.5%13.1–17.8 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 7.6%6.6–8.8 | 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 Central City
Is Central City a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Central City is near the bottom of U.S. towns: D− for health. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 4%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Central City?
CDC estimates 46.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 37.4% and 56.1%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Central City?
SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital -Centralia in Centralia, 1.5 miles in a straight line from Central City’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Central City have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 12.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.5–15.9%), 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 Central City more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to D.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Central City.
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.